<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Rewritten Family History by 1lilspark</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637360">A Rewritten Family History</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/1lilspark/pseuds/1lilspark'>1lilspark</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Identical Cousins AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ducktales AU, Ensemble Cast, Extended Families, F/M, Gen, It started as one thing but spiraled, Multi, Slice of Life, a lot can happen in a year, identical cousins au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:35:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>87,060</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/1lilspark/pseuds/1lilspark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Della proposed--no--insisted that if anything were to complicate the Spear of Selene’s test flight that the three men in her life each take one of her eggs...her Brother, her Uncle, and her Husband…Now over a decade later she's come home to embark on the first year of the rest of her life</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daisy Duck/Donald Duck, Della Duck/Gyro Gearloose, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Selene, Scrooge McDuck/"Glittering" Goldie O'Gilt, lots of non romantic familial bonds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Identical Cousins AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>182</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The idea for this piece began with a spark of thought "What if Gyro and Della were frienemies when they were teens and a drunken one night stand in their 20s lead to the triplets being conceived"  THEN the idea expanded to being "What if Della requested each of the men in her life to raise one of the boys" and thus this story began.....</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Dear Gyro, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> If you’re reading this letter then something went terribly  wrong and the Spear either blew up or was lost in space. I’d like to be cautiously optimistic that I’m lost and will find my way back to you and our boys someday after all you should know I’m resilient…. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Gyro Gearloose ran a hand through his hair as he let out a sigh thinking back to that night when they were eighteen. The way she stood in the doorway of his lab, hand on her hip, bangs falling ever so slightly into her face despite the headband on her head…..</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>APRIL 2002:</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“Come on Gearloose live a little,” Della Duck said in a tone that had a way to both annoy and entice the young robotics engineer at the same time.</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“And what’s that supposed to mean?” he had asked her with a raised brow.</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“Well, we’re both eighteen and neither of us had a traditional High School Experience.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>The engineer bit his bill gently thinking she did have a point there after all he had earned his masters degree at the age of thirteen while the young duck standing across the room had been schooled by tutors and governesses. He could tell where her train of thought had been going however and he really didn’t want to be the one to derail it though at the same time he shook his head.</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“A charity gala isn’t the same as Senior Prom Dell.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“Says you….”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“I don’t know how things work in your world but smiling and nodding as the Hoi Polloi talk up Scrooge’s societal contributions and dancing the Cha Cha Slide in a Tux are two very different things.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>The sound of Della’s laughter soon filled the air as Gyro crossed his arms over his chest.</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“What’s so funny?”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“I’d pay good money to see you dressed in a tux dancing the Cha Cha Slide.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“You and I both know that what money you have that isn’t locked up until you’re twenty five is wrapped up in that plane of yours.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“I took some of my CloudSlayer money to buy a gown for the event thank you very much.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>Gyro watched the way that Della crossed her arms a smirk crossing her bill.</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“Now you in a gown THAT I’d pay good money for.”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“I know how much my uncle pays you and so I won’t ask for money just a yes”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“If I say yes will you kindly leave my lab?”</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>“As you wish…” </strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“DOCTOR GEARLOOSE.”</p><p> </p><p>The voice of Fenton Crackshell Cabrera filled the air taking him out of his thoughts and snapping him back into reality. Carefully folding the well read note he tucked it into his desk draw before turning to his young protege who he’d taken on almost two years prior and who had been the heart of one of his biggest scientific breakthroughs.</p><p> </p><p>“Intern,” he spat out in the normally cold tone he had towards the younger man for no other reason other then the fact the young physicist had reminded the engineer of his own days as an intern all bright eyed and easy to please even though he’d been a good decade younger then Fenton was now when he’d studied under Akita in Tokyolk which honestly felt like a lifetime ago.</p><p> </p><p>“Um...well,” Gyro watched as Fenton nervously ran a hand through his hair, “Your son called.”</p><p> </p><p>Gyro thought back to the rest of the letter which in the eleven years since Della vanished he’d memorized by heart.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em>I know you’ll make a great father though at the same time I also know that raising three kids would be prohibitive of you following your dreams and making the next greatest scientific discovery which is why I propose no insist that you let my brother and uncle help you out by each take one of our ducklings to raise to lighten your load. You are the three best men in my life and I know that you’ll be strong role models for Huey, Dewey and Louie (though if you were to reconsider and go with Jet, Turbo and Rebel). Let them know that they are family and that they are always loved…</em>.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> It had only been natural that he had been the one to raise their first hatched and while Huey wasn’t a child prodigy like the engineer had been he was proud to say that Huey was one of the sharpest students in his class at Duckburg Preparatory and would have his pick of any institute of higher education upon graduating.</p><p> </p><p>“He said to remind you that he’s having Launchpad drive him to the manner after his Woodchuck’s Meeting and to not wait on dinner.”</p><p> </p><p>Gyro nodded thinking that while his son's love of science came from him and and his passion for history and mythology had been Scrooge’s influence, joining the Junior Woodchucks and climbing its ranks had been something the young boy got from his mother. Looking over at the small desk that was set up for afternoons when his son had came to the lab after school, he couldn't help but smile at the framed photo of a preteen Della in her own Woodchuck uniform a gift from Scrooge to his nephew on the eve of his first badge ceremony. While the photo had been taken a good five years before they had met it was clear that Della still had the same vivacious spark in her eye that he knew and loved and missed these past eleven years not that he’d admit it to anyone.</p><p> </p><p>It was at that moment that Gyro’s phone buzzed making him think that perhaps Huey had decided to send him a text as well however a smile curled on his lips when he saw who the sender was instead….</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dewey Duck hummed a tune as he made his way down the boardwalk of the Duckburg Marina after school. Taking in a breath of the salty air he couldn’t help but notice just how much cleaner it was in the more suburban Duckburg as opposed to the more industrious St.Canard where he’d lived for most of his life. For the most part it was just him and his dad, a former navel official who now ran fishing and cruising charters along the Audubon Bay, well, when he wasn’t playing gigs with his college buddies.</p><p>From the Caballero's jam sessions to the constraint whistling around the house to getting to know his mother through old mix tapes music had always seemed to be a constant of Dewey’s life to the point that he could read it almost as quickly as he learnt to read the written word. The particular song he’d been humming in the moment had been one of the earliest songs he could remember hearing and the first song he learnt to play when he was five... an old lullaby that his mother had sung to him and his “brothers” as eggs.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>June 2012</em>
    <em>: </em>
  </strong>
</p><p><em>‘Look To The Stars….’</em> <strong><em>Dewey began to play his vocals not the strongest as he’d been only five at the time. Finishing the tune he was met with a round of applause from his dad. </em></strong></p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> Turning toward Donald the duo shared a smile before the older duck took a seat by his side ruffling the boys head feathers. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “Your mother would be so proud.” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> There was a pause. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “Tell me more about her….” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> Donald nodded thinking of his dear sister whom he loved and missed so much even more so as it was nearly their 29th birthday. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “Well, despite writing that lullaby and singing it to you boys as eggs she couldn’t carry a tune.” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> While Donald thought back to Della’s off key renditions of Powerline’s greatest hits that she’d sing into her hairbrush when she thought nobody had been looking, Dewey let out a slight laugh as he caught something his dad just said. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “You Boys?” He asked, “this has something to do with why me and my cousins look alike doesn’t it?” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> With a raised brow he thought about how Huey joked that once or twice that his father, Dr. Gearloose cloned him and that Dewey and his cousin Louie were the result of that but his dad just mentioned his mother singing to them as eggs tossing that theory out the window. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> Donald nodded again as he let out a sigh. He was shaking a bit out of nerves the small child thought or perhaps sadness.  </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “I was going to wait until you were older Dewey but I’m not your father.” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> No, he had to be lying; it was the two of them against the world always had been always would be. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “Your mother was my sister and she loved you and your brothers very much, so much in fact that she asked me, your real dad, and your Uncle Scrooge to each take one of you boys so you’d have your best chance.” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> Dewey sat in silence for a moment haphazardly strumming for a while as he was lost in thought. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “So...Doctor Gearloose….” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> Donald nodded. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> “If you’d like to get to know him.” </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em> Dewey nodded </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>—</p><p>Stopping as he reached the Unchained Melody, the young duck smiled as he spotted his dad working on the deck of the ship.</p><p>“Hey kiddo, how was school.”</p><p>Shrugging back his shoulders he flashed the older duck a smile.</p><p>“It was nothing special,” he replied thinking that truthfully while he’d made a few acquaintances it was kind of lonely and he’d rather be attending that stuffy prep school with Huey or having Beakley and other private tutors educate him like Louie and Webby then be attending Duckburg Junior High but that was an argument for another day.</p><p>Donald nodded his head as he moved about the boat and soon Dewey began to realize that his father was nowhere ready to be walking home with him like they normally did after school, that was unless he had a sunset charter but those were very rare on a school night. As if he could read the young duckling’s mind Donald soon spoke up.</p><p>“So, I booked a last minute charter...I think it’s going to be another proposal too!”</p><p>Dewey could see his dad’s face light up at the prospect of being a part of the next chapter of a couples love story as he was a romantic at heart and there were days when Dewey hoped that his father would go out for a night on the town with his bandmates or cousin Gladstone only to return with a story about meeting the love of his life.</p><p>“I left money for take out on the counter, make sure to do your homework.”</p><p>“Do you think I could spend the night with Uncle Gyro?” Dewey asked his bill curling into a pout.</p><p>True to Donald’s word, after finding out the engineer was his biological father, Dewey had taken many a trip across the Audubon Bay to form a steady relationship with the man, a relationship that had grown in the past year ever since he relocated to Duckburg. “You know he’ll make sure all my homework is done, plus his place is actually closer to school.”</p><p>There was a slight pause before Donald nodded. </p><p>“If he says it’s okay I don’t see why not.”</p><p>Pulling out his phone, Dewey smiled.</p><p>
  <strong>-Dad booked a last minute sunset charter- can I spend the night?-</strong>
</p><p>A few moments later there was a text back </p><p>
  <strong>-Like you have to ask-I’ll be at the lab waiting-</strong>
</p><p>“He said yes,” Dewey replied as he readjusted his backpack around his shoulder before pointing toward the line of row houses in the distance where they lived. “I’m going to just pack a quick overnight bag and I’ll be gone. Text me when you come in so I know you got home safely.”</p><p>“And you text me when you get to school so I know that you aren’t wrapped up in one of your bio dads experiments or worse, one of your Uncle Scrooge’s adventures when he knows explicitly not to take you out gallivanting to parts unknown on a school night.”</p><p>“It was one time,” he said, causing Donald to roll his eyes at the boy before leaning over the boat and ruffling the boys head feathers.</p><p>“I love you kiddo.”</p><p>“I love you too dad.”</p><p>Turning toward his home, Dewey couldn’t help but feel something deep down in his gut. Call it intuition but he felt like something was going to happen that evening that could very well alter his attendance record he just didn’t know what.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for all the love and support<br/>I'm having just a fun time adding layers to this AU<br/>I don't know if I'm regretting not writing things linear beginning with when Gyro first started working for Scrooge<br/>If there are any 'moments' you'd like to see flashed back to or certain character relationships you want to see please ask</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since I did a Gyro and Donald (via Dewey's perspective) chapter here is my Scrooge chapter....LOTS of fun world building here....please do enjoy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Billionaire, Businessman, Adventurer, these were all words that were synonymous with Scrooge McDuck who in the moment was walking across the main foyer of his mansion taking in a rare moment of silence as he looked over toward the portrait that hung on the wall while he began to think of some other choice words that could be used to describe him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Father...sure, he had raised his sister Hortence’s twins from the time they’d been eight however to Donald and Della he’d always been Uncle Scrooge never dad and honestly he’d been okay with that as while an heir would of been nice having a child of his own wasn’t something that was in the cards that was until his dear niece vanished and requested that he raise one of her triplets and that’s how his son Louie came into his life, as for his daughter , well it was a more lengthy and complex story:</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Betina Beakley AKA  Agent 22 had recently stepped down from her field position of the secret underground organization SHUSH transitioning into a mentorship role when one of her protogee’s died in the line of duty leaving behind her three month old daughter. Beakley took in the girl, convincing the social worker who had been a liaison for the organization to let her say she’d been the child's grandmother as a means to keep her out of the system. The I’s were dotted and the T’s were crossed and for the next three years until Beakley’s retirement she and the girl lived on an agency base. Though retirement wasn’t what the agent had thought it would be as Scrooge who had dealings with the agent years ago knew she’d be a great tutor and governess for Louie and so he called on her to collect a favor. For the next few years Beakley taught Louie and Webby everything from normal scholastic subjects like reading, writing, math...to more complex things like combat skills and weaponry. Through the years he had seen how the young girl who was just a few months younger than his Louie got along. They were like two peas in a pod acting very much like siblings and so a few years after coming into his home he had asked Beakley if it would be fine by her if he filed a motion to formally adopt Webby.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The silence of the moment was briefly broken by the clanging of medals causing the older man to chuckle a bit to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Either Beakley is giving them a fencing lesson or they are breaking the rule of unsupervised sword play in the house,” he thought as his eyes drifted from the two children in the portrait in the woman who looked to have been giving him a look that was both loving yet challenging…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>May 2014:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Putting up appearances at the occasionally stuffy cocktail party was one of the necessary evils of being the richest duck in the world and that night was no exception when suddenly a voice filled the air from the space behind him sending a chill down his spine.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Heya Scroogie,” the unmistakable voice of Goldie O'Gilt, his long time adversary and on again off again flame purred. </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Turning around he spotted her just as breathtaking as ever however she was like a siren always drawing him in only to stab him in the back.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“If it isn’t Glittering Goldie, so should I alert the guests at this shindig to guard their pockets.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Goldie simply rolled her eyes, sure, she had already cased the coat room for baubles left behind but she wasn’t going to give the man the satisfaction of knowing that fact and instead she placed a hand gently on his shoulder.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I never thought I’d see you again after all I hear you’ve packed up your adventuring boots and retired.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Scrooge couldn’t help but let out a laugh.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Retired! Who would spread such false information, I bet it was Glomgold….HA I’ll only be retired when I’m dead and with the miracles of modern science that won't happen for a very very VERY long time.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Relax…” Goldie began however Scrooge wasn’t finished with his outburst.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I am Scrooge McDuck… I am sharper than the sharpies, smarter than the smarties, tougher than the toughies. In fact I’ve been keeping a dossier of places I want to explore and treasures I want to unearth. I am just keeping to the business side of things until my kids get a wee bit older that's all.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>At that Goldie was taken by surprise.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Kids?” she asked with a raised brow, “and you didn’t ask me to mother your heirs I’m crushed.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>There was a pause for a moment as Scrooge let out a slight chuckle at the thought.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Louie is technically my nephew and Webby was the ward of a friend who was practically a sister to him anyway so I just thought why not make it official”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Goldie nodded in understanding knowing all about the incident that had occurred seven years ago and where the subject of Della had been concerned to not press Scrooge on the subject.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>There was a slight pause before Goldie finally managed to speak up.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Dance with me Scroogie,” she said, not allowing for the billionaire to finish before dragging him onto the dance floor like old times.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>For all the ups and down they had in their tumultuous relationship the cunning con woman always managed to cause his old ticker to skip a beat.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>They had been lost in a moment before her voice broke him out of the spell she had momentarily held over him.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I can see it in your eyes that you really can’t wait another year or two or three to scratch your adventurous itch and well, I have a lead on something good.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Scrooge raised his brow, a hint of intrigue in his expression as he nodded for the blonde to go on.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Two weeks...hire yourself a sitter for two weeks and I promise to make it worth your while, plus you’re a much more palatable partner in crime then gold Flintie.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“That man is a sociopath, I mean you’re a dirty rotten thief but at least you have class.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“So you’re in?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>…</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>FOUR WEEKS LATER:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Scrooge had been sitting behind his office desk, Goldie in a plush chair across from him while the head of his advisory board Bradford Buzzard stood in the doorway.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“What do you mean it’s legally binding,” Scrooge exclaimed looking between the two beings in the room.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I mean that whomever you hired to perform the ceremony was actually ordained,” Bradford said.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Glaring at Goldie, he crossed his arms.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Was this part of the plan all along Goldie? To swindle me into being your husband so you could rob me of my fortune? Were you in cahoots with Glomgold so that he could overthrow me as the richest duck?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“No, no, and heck no, I was just as surprised as you when Bradford called me to come to the bin for this meeting.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Scrooge tried to read her tells and could sense that she was telling the truth.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Well, the good news is you didn’t consummate things right?” Bradford asked as the duo looked between one another...thankfully nothing more intimate than kissing had occurred as they conned their mark into gaining the treasures they had set out to seek. “Splendid...so the two of you annul the marriage and…”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Goldie shook her head.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“IF we annul this I want compensation for my troubles.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“As to be expected,” Bradford said.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Half of Scrooge’s earnings.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bradford looked slack jawed as Scrooge stood up from his seat at her words thinking perhaps her poker face was better than he thought.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Curse me Kilts, you’re a mad woman!”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Well, we could always stay married,” she spoke with a raised brow.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Yes, she was definitely mad Scrooge thought as he looked toward her curious to see just where she was heading with this.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I mean think about it, you could go off on adventures while I teach ‘sharpie’ and ‘spitfire’ basic life skills.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Scrooge rolled his eyes thinking that she had met the kids one time before they headed out on their adventure and she already had nicknames for them. He wanted to snap back saying that he was sure the children had already been taught card counting and slight of hand from Beakley however instead he somehow found himself shrugging back his shoulders as he slinked back into his chair.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“And what will that cost me?” he asked as Bradford flashed him a glare.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Well, I’m glad you asked Scroogie, I will sign a post nup saying that after a year of marriage if we dissolve things for any reason I get half of any communal earnings we’ve gained, a 30% stake in McDuck Enterprises and visitation rights with your kids.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“What about less than a year?” Scrooge asked bracing himself as he gently bit down on his beak.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Well then the offer would be back to half of your net worth….”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Looking from Goldie to Bradford he watched his advisor stick up a single finger with a nod before he looked back toward Goldie.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“One Year….”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Husband….he thought that title would be a brand on him for just one year, 365 long and unbearable days however as he looked from the portrait to the band on  his finger he couldn’t believe things had lasted almost five years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sound of the front door opening took him fully out of his deep thoughts as he saw two figures entering the foyer both dressed in Woodchuck uniforms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Uncle Scrooge,” the younger of the duo said with a wave as he adjusted the backpack that hung over his shoulder with his other hand, “Where’s Louie and Webby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sounds of swords clanging had seemingly stopped causing the older man to simply shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I had to guess they are in the den.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now then lad, try not to get into any mischief and get your homework done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes Uncle Scrooge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as quick as he had entered the mansion he had left the room leaving Scrooge with the other duck. Launchpad McQuack, his nephew’s long time scout leader who had been hired by his wife two years ago as a valet. At the time people, and by people his son had suspected the then 29 year old had simply been hired by his step mom as a hot young side piece however she actually hired him as he was proficient in piloting many vehicles even if he had a penchant for crashing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Afternoon Mr. McD,” Launchpad said with a smile, “I’m going to go change out of my uniform and then go polish up the Limo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge raised his brow knowing of the man's history with the various vehicles that he handled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I even want to know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a bit of dust that’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Truthfully he had managed to drive through a fairly deep mud puddle however Scrooge didn’t need to know this fact as he exited the room, whistling the tune to his favorite shows theme song as he went. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alone again, Scrooge looked back toward the portrait on the wall yet again, a smile crossing his beak. before he headed toward his home office to look over some paperwork.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know how much time had passed when suddenly there was the sound of someone at the door. It was rare that solicitors made their way up Killmoter Hill to bother him and so he had only assumed that Gyro had come to pick up Huey early.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Launchpad! Beakley!,” a few moments passed and it was clear that nobody was heading to open the door and the sounds of knocking continued to fill the air. “Duckworth!,” he soon called hoping that his recently deceased butler would go carporial to greet their guest. Still nothing. For a moment he thought to call the kids however on the slimmest chance that it wasn’t Gyro at the door he didn’t want them in the line of fire and so he headed back through the foyer towards the main entrance of the manor.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Someone commented to me how they couldn’t wait to see how actual cannon events occurred in this timeline and so if there are any certain adventures you’d like to see happen via a flashback feel free to comment and I’ll try to figure things out….</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Della Gearloose ‘nee Duck counted back from a hundred as she let the shock of the landing impact wear off. She did it….she actually did it...after almost twelve long years she was finally home….at least she hoped she was home and the refurbished GPS system didn’t deceive her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Biting down on her bill she looked down to examine if there was any physical damage after all upon crashing down the last time she had fractured her leg so badly that it was easier to self amputate and devise a prosthetic out of scrap metal then to try mending the bone. Thankfully this go around the damage was minor, a cut here a bruise there.. nothing that the sparse remains of her first aid kit couldn’t patch up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here goes nothing,” she said to herself opening the hatch and noticing she was in a wooded area that was far enough to keep from gathering a crowd but close enough that she noticed the skyline realizing that yes in fact she was home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sucking in a deep breath, one of the first not laced with the putrid aftertaste of black licorice age let her eyes gaze off in the distance towards her uncle's money bin. Sure, she knew deep down in her heart that the first place she needed to go was McDuck Manor however looking at the high rise a part of her wondered if her husband or rather widower she guessed still worked there as she began to think back to their final moment together.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>April 2007:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>A few hours earlier her brother Donald had scrambled into the room where she had been singing one last time to her eggs frantically sputtering that he had a bad feeling about things. He claimed it was twin telepathy however she knew that Donny disliked the sky almost as much as she disliked being on water and so she shook it off for a brief moment before scribbling out a heartfelt letter and placed it with her wedding rings inside an envelope.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Making her way to the place where the Spear was getting ready to launch out into orbit she spotted her husband already waiting. He was  dressed in her favorite sky blue button up, his unkempt hair falling into his eyes and a proud smile spreading across his bill.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I don’t know what I’m more ecstatic about Dells, “ he said upon her approach , “going down in the history books as the designer of the first privately constructed rocket or the fact that my wife will be the one at the helm?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Your accomplishments I’m sure,” Della spoke with a smirk as she circled the young chicken her arms folded across her chest, “especially since you aren’t even a rocket scientist.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Gyro raised his brow as he shook his head. </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I’m working on it,” he spoke which was true as working on Scrooge’s ambitious project had prompted him to amp up his higher education and begin the work in a second masters and who knew perhaps one day he’d finally go for his doctorate, “anyway, at least I’m not a glorified grease monkey.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Della had now been standing face to face with Gyro before taking a few steps toward him resting her head on his shoulder which was at the perfect height.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“But I’m your grease monkey.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Always,” Gyro said as he twisted his fingers through Della’s hair, a smile still playing across his lips. “Anyway, I hope that one of our boys is as headstrong and resilient as you are so that you can see what I have to deal with.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“And I can only hope that one of them is just a know it all like you so that you can see how it feels to live with someone who corrects you all the time.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Sure it didn’t matter whose genes the ducklings received, just that they hatched safely and healthy.  Playfully playing with Gyro’s suspender strap, Della tried to fight back tears and fears in the moment hoping that it wouldn’t be her last one with her family.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I want lots of video of when they hatch so that I can feel as if I’m there with you. And if something happens to me open this.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Handing him the envelope she placed a kiss onto his cheek before climbing into the rocket pod closing the hatch down and sucking in a deep breath as she mentally counted down to launch.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Nothing Can Stop Della Gearloose.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>--xx--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But something had stopped her, somehow her GPS had led her off course causing her to crash on the moon but she did it, she finally did it as now she had made her way toward the mansion on Killmoter Hill she was about to see her family again. She just hoped that after over a decade they were just as happy to see her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sucking in a deep breath, she managed to approach the gate. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Okay, Della this is it...you only have one chance to make a good first impression.’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The door soon opened as Della saw her Uncle Scrooge who honestly after all this time looked practically the same as he did all those years ago. She wanted to be big and bold however as she watched the older duck’s hand tremble as he dropped a tea cup on the floor she couldn’t help but just speak up in a weakened tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Uncle Scrooge…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked as if he’d seen a ghost and she should know as they had plenty of ghost encounters in their adventures together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Della, Lass is it really you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at the older man she couldn’t help but nod as tears began to well up in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s really me Uncle Scrooge….I came home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Scrooge gave his niece a once over before eyeing her prosthetic foot with a hint of pain in his eyes. She anticipated him asking her how when or how instead a small smile crossed his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice craftsmanship...he’ll be proud.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was in that moment when she knew that Gyro was very much still in the family fold and that made her happy. What made her even happier was when her uncle who wasn’t the most physically affectionate reached out to pull her into an embrace. They were still in a moment when suddenly a girl who looked no older than eleven ran frantically into the room. She was wearing a pink skirt and lavender top, her white blonde hair pulled back in a bow. No, it couldn’t be? She thought she was having three boys but then again she and Donald HAD hatched from the same egg and so it wasn’t that impossible was it….that she had a little girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, what was that commotion, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><em>‘Dad?’</em> she thought to herself….it had to be hers then right after all she looked about the same age as her boys should have been. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine Webby,” Scrooge said as he turned to the girl with a reassuring look, “ spilled tea is nothing to cry over and it wasn’t as if I was using the good tea set.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young girl nodded her head about to turn back to head into the other room when soon her eyes locked with Della’s and she let out a scream of delight as she ran toward her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Geez Louise! Mother Mary, Pete the dragon…..you’re DELLA DUCK!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded her head as she looked up toward her uncle for a brief moment thinking that now was as good a time as any to ask the question that had been plaguing her since she saw the girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mine?” she mouthed silently as Scrooge shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi I’m Webby, huge fan...I’ve read about all your adventures from Dad’s field journals and I’ve always dreamt of what it would be like meeting you in person...am I dreaming…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl pinched herself before realizing that no she was wide awake and that Della was in fact standing right beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I text Dewey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><em>‘Dewey’</em> Della thought now THAT was one of hers however deep down she kind of hoped that in her absence Gyro would of conceded and named him Turbo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not right now lass, let your cousin breathe a bit before we gather around for a family reunion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what about...I mean they are just in the next room and they are bound to cross paths sooner or later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine...but if Della gets overwhelmed you need to give her some room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby nodded as she ran out of the room screaming ‘Boys Boys’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della could feel her heart race a bit thinking that the boys that the young girl was going to collect were the other two thirds of her triplets however soon her gaze turned back to her uncle a smile on her face as he led her toward the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a daughter,” Della spoke with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye, and a son,” Scrooge said, “You’d be proud of our Louie, he’s sharper than a tack and a wiz with numbers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded as she couldn’t wait to see what young men her boys were starting to become when suddenly her eyes fell on the wedding band on her uncle’s finger and the portrait hanging on the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And a wife?” Della spoke her brow raised as she and Donald had grown up around the ongoing rivalry between Scrooge and Goldie O’Gilt and so to now see them married well it just raised a bunch of red flags, “What scheme is she running on you Uncle Scrooge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No scheme...Goldie brings out a fire in me I haven’t felt in years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della rolled her eyes wondering if there was any way her uncle could be held under a love potion however the mystical was never Goldie’s weapon of choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So where is my dear aunt now?” Della asked, wondering how the woman would react to seeing her again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She is off on an excavation of ruins in South America.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Della nodded assuming it was part of some scheme as it was always a scheme with Goldie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door soon opened and Della had assumed it would be Webby there with her boys however instead she spotted a tall broad shouldered red headed duck dressed in an aviator jacket that gave her a chilling sense of deja vu. It couldn’t have been Ripcord McQuack as it had been around fifteen years since she’d last seen her teacher so it must have been…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Launchpad!” she said an air of delight in her voice as of all the people she expected to run into upon her return to earth her flight instructor's son fell far down that list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Della!” he replied with an equal amount of delight as he had a schoolboy crush on her when he’d been a teenager. A part of him wanting to pick her up and twirl her around in an embrace but from what he knew from the tabloids and his three years employed by the McDuck’s, Della had been missing without a trace for the past eleven years and it was clear from her disheveled appearance that she must of gone through some sort of ordeal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, should I be impressed or insulted that I’ve been replaced by a McQuack?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well when Loopy and I finally got to man the cockpit for the first time mom would constantly compare us to you if it makes you feel any better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della simply nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I’m going to head out Mr.McD…. and Della...we should get together sometime to catch up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della once again couldn’t help but smile thinking she would like that...having a friend around to help her transition back into a form of normal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaning back into a couch cushion, Della started to process everything she had heard in the short amount of time she’d been back….Webby...Goldie...Launchpad...and yet she still hadn’t seen her boys. It was with that thought still lingering in her head that she watched as Webby stepped foot in the room followed as she promised by two young boys. The taller of the two was dressed in a faded grey tee shirt and a green leather jacket and if he hadn’t been the same boy that was in the portrait on the wall she would have thought he’d been the son of her cousin Gladstone based on his color of choice and confident aura. The other boy was dressed in a Woodchuck uniform, the name ‘Gearloose’ embroidered on the pocket causing her to smile a bit thinking that this was the son that was raised by his father causing her to deduce that Dewey was Donald’s and she had hoped to get to meet him sooner rather than later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boys both looked toward the woman who was now standing up from the couch taking a few steps toward their direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s your mom,” Webby said with a smile on her bill as the one in the uniform began to approach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’m Huey Gearloose, it’s a pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance….mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to choke up a bit at the last word as he threw his arms around Della who had decided to kneel down to his level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did your dad ever tell you I was a Woodchuck?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He did, I have an old photo of you in your uniform on my desk in his lab…..we need to compare notes on what merit badges we’ve earned.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like that very much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey tightened his embrace for a moment as Della’s eyes fell upon Louie who with another nudge from Webby moved a few steps closer toward Della crossing his arms over his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you want me to be all touchy feely,” Louie replied, “But I already have a mother and don’t need another one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With these words Della felt crushed thinking that while the notion that her boys wouldn’t take to her being back had always been a possibility she didn’t think it would be a reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Though I’m sure my cousin Della has some real wild stories to tell,” Louie said, holding out his hand for Della to take which she did as son or cousin all she wanted was to have some kind of relationship in the boy's life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, where have you been all these years?” Webby asked as Scrooge nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to know the same thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The moon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s impossible!” Scrooge exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Huey said, “The average residency on a space station is six months and I don’t think that there is one anchored toward the moon right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean we had our satellite orbit the moon twice and there was no sign of the spear of selene reported.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della had in fact seen one of the satellites however she was too busy fighting off a moon mite to draw attention to it and so she simply smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever the case, I'm home now and I don't plan on going anywhere without family on my side. Anyway Uncle Scrooge, it’s been a long long time since I took a warm shower and slept in a nice comfy bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your room is as you left it...minus anything your brother or Gyro might have taken as mementos.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della then nodded as she was about to get up when a somewhat familiar face peeked their head into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time for Dinner…” Beakley said as Della looked from the older woman to Scrooge and back and forth again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agent 22 is your cook?” she thought to herself rolling her eyes as she headed upstairs.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gyro smiled at the barista who worked at the local herbalist as she handed him his usual tea. Taking a sip he let out a sigh. A small part of him wanted to call Dewey and Huey’s principals telling them there was a family emergency followed by texting Donald telling him they needed to talk however the bigger part of him thought it wasn’t his place to tell Donald the information he heard last night and it didn’t do his sons any good to sit at home all day when they could be furthering their education. Exhaling another sigh, he closed his eyes and thought of the scene that occurred the night before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Last Night:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Duckworth had gone corporal to let him and Dewey inside the manor where they were met with the family whose conversations fell silent at his sight.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Oh my god, Dewey…” Webby said as the girl ran to her cousin tossing her arms around the blue clad triplet causing the chickens heart to race as he looked on.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Donald?” He simply mouthed fearing the worst as his son ran up towards him, eyes bloodshot from crying.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“It’s mom,” Huey said, throwing his arms around his father in a tight embrace, “she’s come home.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Looking to Scrooge for some confirmation the older duck nodded.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Aye, she is an extraordinary lass.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Gyro simply nodded as Dewey crossed his arms in annoyance.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Awe Phooy, why didn’t you text me Webbs? You know meeting her has been our dream.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I know and I told her as much when I met her but dad….”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Didn’t want to overwhelm her,” Scrooge spoke looking from the two kids back to the scientist walking him across the room away from the children before lowering his voice. “She didn’t say too much about her time….away….but I could tell just from her eyes that she’s been through an ordeal and so I was going to wait on telling you and Donald.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“HOW LONG,” Gyro said, his voice raised louder than normal.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“A day….two tops.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Taking a deep breath and mentally counting to ten Gyro was glad that his anger didn’t have a hairpin trigger like his brother in law.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Well when can I see her?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Like I said, she’s been through a lot and there is still the whole matter of her being legally deceased but if you were to come over tomorrow maybe she’ll feel up for visitors.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span><em>‘Visitors,’</em> he thought to himself as he checked himself out in his car mirror as he turned onto the path that lead up the hill, ‘I am...er was her husband’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Parking the car, he made his way toward the front door. It all felt too surreal and he wondered if perhaps last night was just a hallucination caused by his intern creating a chemical mishap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Knocking on the door he was met by Duckworth phasing through giving him a look before disappearing. The next ten minutes felt like a lifetime as he assumed the ghost butler had informed Della of his presence and that she had said she wasn’t ready. Feeling defeated he was about to turn back around when the creaking sounds of the door rang out and he spotted her wrapped up in his old Tuxedo jacket as if it were a security blanket draped over her leggings and yellow t-shirt. A stark contrast to the night he gave it to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>April 2002:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Exiting the museum he still couldn’t get over just how different Della looked dressed in her gown. Before he thought she was kind of cute in an annoying sort of way however the way the floor length gown she’d been wearing glistened in the moonlight like a pool of sapphires it kind of took his breath away.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“You were right Della, tonight was kind of fun.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>He watched as a smirk crossed her bill as she crossed her arms.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Could you say it again?” Della chuckled as a car showed up to take them back toward the manor.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Shaking his head he opened the door to let her in and soon they were on their way across town.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“You surprised me tonight Gearloose, I didn’t know you were such an amazing dancer.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>He could feel himself blushing a bit before nodding.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“This stays between us but when I was finishing up my masters as a pre-teen my parents had me take cotillion in the hopes it would improve my social skills so that people would take me serious when networking.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Della couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as he crossed his arms wondering if he shouldn’t have made such a personal confession as his companion soon spoke up.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I wasn’t laughing at you, it's just … well… Duckworth talked Uncle Scrooge into making me take cotillion as I never had a proper female influence in my life and he thought it would help me act more ladylike.” </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>It was then the young chicken let out a chuckle wondering if he had grown up in Duckburg if perhaps they would have danced together before.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Reaching the gates of the McDuck property the duo exited the car and turned toward the path up the hill.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Here, take this your uncle would kill me if you fought a chill.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“The worse he would do was fire you,” she snapped back, “though if Donny were here and not away at school…”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Slipping on the jacket Gyro couldn’t help but internally chuckle at how cliche he was acting as they continued to make small talk until they reached the door of the manor. Now if  he was being cliche this would be the moment when they would share a goodnight kiss and it seemed as if Della was thinking the same thing as soon their beaks moved inches apart only to be stopped by the lights coming on and a voice calling out from the inside.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Back in the present this time he acted on his impulses and met her with a wordless kiss. He was the tinman and finally he had found his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling back however he was met with a crushing slap to the jaw. Sure, Scrooge had said that she seemed to have gone through an ordeal so maybe a kiss wasn’t the best course of action.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry for being forward, it's just I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“BLACK LICORICE! Seriously Gearloose, BLACK FLIPPING LICORICE!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t help but laugh at her outburst. Seriously this was all about the oxy chew that he presumed had kept her alive these past years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t pick the flavor to spite you….anise was just a key ingredient in getting the chemical compound just right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And those linear notes in the manual referring to me as Dumbella?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that was to spite you but I figured at the end of the day we’d both laugh at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a slight pause before Della began to let out a chuckle making Gyro realize how much he had missed her laugh as he watched her eyes begin to give him a proper once over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love the new look by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he said running a hand through his now gelled back hair, “a few years ago after I officially earned my Doctorate, your cousin Gladstone convinced me to reinvent myself to start the next chapter of my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The makeover hadn’t been that extreme at least when first laid out in front of him. Trading his suspenders for a tailored vest, adding a bit of get to his unruly curls, changing the shape of his glasses frames...and yet somehow he’d gone from frazzled genius to hot doctor seemingly overnight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctor Gearloose,” Della spoke...her voice saying those words causing the chickens heart to flutter once more, “I definitely can get used to the sound of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as she came closer again her arms wrapped around his shoulders pulling him in for another brief embrace. It was as she pulled back that he’d finally gotten a good look at her. Before he was just focused on the way she’d been wearing his jacket a memento of years gone by, how unusually long her hair had been hanging, the dark circles under her otherwise bright and brilliant eyes however his gaze finally fell downward causing him to glance at her leg for the first time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re uncle was right when he told me you’ve been through an ordeal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know what to expect from her reaction to his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Met with a nod and a lingering moment of silence Della soon spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I pinned it upon my initial crash...and my woodchuck survival instincts took over and I figured as an engineer I was more adapted to amputate and craft a serviceable prosthetic out of scrap metal then I was to try to reset the bones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gyro listened to her words. It was brave of her to be able to do what she had done. That was his girl...resilient...fearless..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For a mechanic with limited means you did great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, though I was kind of hoping to come to the lab sometime so you could use your robotics expertise to improve on the design.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about now?” he asked cautiously optimistic as he selfishly wanted to spend as much time with Della as he could though in reality he knew she had been gone for eleven years and had only been ‘home’ for less than twenty four hours and he’d take things as slow and as steady as she had wanted to though... if she were to go to the lab then perhaps….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure...Uncle Scrooge has insisted the rest of the family keep their distance to let me rest but frankly being alone in this house with Duckworth who is now a ghost or demon or whatever is kind of erie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rolled his eyes and was honestly surprised that Scrooge wasn’t watching her like a hawk though he supposed that he was busy waving his cane at a team of lawyers right about now trying to figure out what he needed to do to declare his niece alive.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>again I just want to say thanks for reading....<br/>this idea has simply blew up in my mind from a what if Della had Gyro/Donald/Scrooge each raise a triplet into a fill blown head cannon that heavily involves the adults possibly even more so then the kids....<br/>I part of me almost wants to rename/re summery this piece to make it more about Della's homecoming and then make a collection of pieces called "A Rewritten Family History" (mainly cause I have some future adventures tugging at my muse right now)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In the time Fenton Crackshell Cabrera had been employed at McDuck Enterprises it was a rare occasion for his boss Doctor Gearloose to not be in the lab bright and early. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling out a calendar the young intern went to double and then triple check that there wasn’t some important pitch or appointment or booster club function that he’d overlooked there wasn’t…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a slight sigh as he headed toward his work space to look over his notes, he began to think back to the time he first set foot in the lab.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><em><strong>January 2017:</strong></em> </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>It was a new year and time for a new opportunity as his ma’ma had told him about the internship opportunity at McDuck enterprises in their science division. </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Do you bake?,” Gyro asked as he looked up from his clipboard with a raised brow, “Keep in mind when you answer this is not a deal breaker and you definitely show the most promise it’s just my sons school somehow thinks bake sales are the  gold standard of fundraising and it would be nice to have an intern who I could delegate that chore to….among others of course.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Of course,” Fenton repeated with a nod before curiosity got the better of him. He had assumed the great Gyro Gearloose lived only for his work after all. “Anyway….a son?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>He watched as the chicken nodded his head before crossing over toward his desk only to return moments later with a framed photo of a young boy dressed in a Woodchuck Uniform.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“This is my Hubert, nine years old and already a promising young mind. Though he also has a strong sense of adventure which he gets from his mother's side of the family.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Fenton nodded his head soon noticing that he didn’t see a ring on the other man's finger though he assumed now that it was just because jewelry probably got in the way of science. </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“And what is it that Mrs. Gearloose does?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>It was clear from the way the Doctor’s expression shifted that mentioning his wife was a clear faux pas.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“She’s unfortunately not in the picture anymore.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Listening to the forlorn tone of his interviewer's voice, Fenton began to nervously fidget with his tie...he’d gone and threw away his shot before he’d been given an opportunity to do something great and life changing he just knew it.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I--I’m sorry for your loss.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Biting his bill he hoped that he said the right words and was slightly relieved when Gyro shrugged back his shoulders and picked up a clipboard from one of the lab tables.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“It’s been almost ten years, a part of me wants to doc you points for not doing your research on me like some of my other applicants however I find your neivite kind of refreshing. I know I said not being able to bake wasn’t a deal breaker but IF you did I’d hire you on the spot.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“Well following a boxed mix is nothing more than basic chemistry but my ma’ma bakes a mean Triple Chocolate Chip cookie that is legendary among the detectives of the Duckburg PD.”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>There was a lingering moment of silence….maybe there was hope after all.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Well then….I guess I’ll hire you as an intern on a preliminary basis….”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The preliminary basis had lasted over two years and counting and while he had received a significant pay bump from Mr.McDuck once he’d taken on the mantle of Duckburg’s resident vigilante Gizmo Duck he was still paying his dues by being personal assistant and occasional babysitter in exchange for the privilege to have access to the labs resources.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then the sounds of the hydrolator doors pinged open and Doctor Gearloose materialized followed by a woman who was a stark contrast to the preened and polished booster moms whom on occasion would be there for “important school business “and yet there was something familiar about her…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctor Gearloose is everything alright? You always show up to the lab before noon unless there is an appointment and to my knowledge….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gyro simply nodded as he began to cross the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a personal matter intern.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Personal Matter… Fenton thought wondering if the female duck had anything to do with it as he turned to her doing what any good scientist would do and observe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as she placed her hands in the pockets of the oversize tux jacket she’d been wearing, her eyes scanning the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love what you’ve done with the place,” she spoke with a smile as one of Gyro’s little bulbs began to flock to her as if it were a woodland creature and she were a fairytale princess which was odd as they didn’t take to outsiders like that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I….came into a windfall,” Gyro’s voice spoke as he continued to rifle through his draw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swore he could hear the woman mumble to little bulb about ‘impressive’ upgrades before she took a seat, her eyes finally meeting his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I see you’ve gone and hired yourself an assistant I see being a father has given you a lesson on sharing your toys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Intern actually,” Fenton found himself speaking up, holding out a hand for her to shake, “Fenton Crackshell Cabrera at your service miss…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Della, an old friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della...why did that name sound so familiar to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Old friend…” Gyro’s voice spoke in a tone that was both tinged with annoyance as well as a bit of laughter as he’d turned away from his desk and began to walk toward her stopping a few inches away before getting down on his knee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No...now Fenton knew why that name sounded familiar but he held his tongue watching as the scene played out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fiancé has a better ring to it don’t you think? I know you haven’t even been back for a day and who knows what you’ve been through but now that you are here I’d be a fool to lose you again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did just get back and I have been through quite the ordeal. I need time and space to heal. But with living in the manor for the time being and a prolonged engagement I’d be a fool to tell you no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blue of the sapphire shimmered against her white feathers as he watched his boss slip the ring on the woman’s finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I… give you two a moment?” Fenton soon asked watching the couple as they tenderly were holding one another’s hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Della not his boss who took the lead in answering the question as she shook her head before leaning forward to begin to detach the prosthetic leg that he just now noticed she had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The reason I came here was so that Gearloose could critique and improve upon my attempt at field medicine and as his intern I’d be honored to hear your opinion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenton smiled as it was rare that the engineer asked him for opinions outside of Gizmo Suit enhancements.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m more of a chemist but I’d be glad to give you my prospective.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a feeling we’re going to be great friends Fenton,” Della said before turning toward Gyro, “and as for you maybe when Huey gets back from school he can put a hold on his homework so we can do something as a family before I head back to the manor and suss out what happens next?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a date,” he replied with a wink before turning toward Fenton, “ are you coming intern.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Donald could sense that something was up when Dewey didn’t stop by the Unchained Melody after school. With no late afternoon or evening charters he soon returned to his home for the day only to be met with his son sitting on the bed in his dark bedroom aggressively strumming on his guitar. It reminded Donald of himself when he was younger, using music to communicate his emotions inevitably forming a true passion for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>December 1996:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>A thirteen year old Donald sat in his dark bedroom aggressively strumming on his guitar. It had been a week since coming back from their latest adventure with their Uncle Scrooge and his bad luck had once again caused a mishap that nearly cost the trio their lives. </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>‘I’m cursed’ he thought to himself which wouldn’t be that far fetched with all the ancient idols and amulets he’d come in contact with in the five years since taking up permanent residence with his Uncle.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm worse at what I do best</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And for this gift I feel blessed</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Our little group has always been</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And always will until the end</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“If you’re open to requests, how about some Powerline next,” a familiar and kind of annoying at the moment voice spoke up from the doorway interrupting his concentration.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Turning he saw his twin leaning against the door frame arms crossed. The yellow dress she’d been wearing having just come from cotillion was a stark contrast to the well worn brown aviator jacket that was her ‘signature accessory’ </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Never going to happen,” Donald said, placing his guitar carefully on the floor and patting the edge of his bed for her to join him.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Never say never Donny,” she replied, taking a seat besides him, “So, working on any original compositions?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Donald shook his head.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“The muse is a fickle mistress, what about you...staying out of trouble?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Trouble is my middle name...well not really...but I wish it was because that would be EPIC! Anyway, I know I say this every year but THIS is going to be the year that we catch Santa for Uncle Scrooge.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Donald once more rolled his eyes. He loved his sister's enthusiasm he really did however there were times that he wished she understood that he was far from the adrenaline junkie the rest of the family seemed to be.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“What do you mean WE.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Donny…” she said curling her bill into a look that she knew could sway her twin into seeing things her way.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“...Dumbella,” he replied with a shake of his head before leaning back and crashing onto his pillow.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>He couldn’t tell as she rolled her eyes as she HATED being called her full name with a passion….who does that to a child anyway….</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“So once I change into something more….me...we’re going to the arcade and having a strategy session over air hockey right?”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Best two out of three...but if I win I’m out and you can rope someone else into your scheme...maybe cousin Gladstone and his ‘lucky gene’ will be a better fit.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“FINE...but I won’t go easy on you because our twintuition is much stronger then dumb luck.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>--</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>If their twintuition was stronger then why didn’t she listen to it that day he thought to himself slipping back into the moment listening to the song filling the air. While there was no vocal accompaniment the tune was unmistakable as the lullaby that Della had written for the triplets, a song that he had sung to Dewey a lot as he grew up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Playing your mom's lullaby must be something serious on your mind kiddo.” Donald said, causing Dewey to stop playing and nod his head. He wanted to tell his uncle that he’d been jealous over the fact that Huey, Webby, and Louie had met their mom and how he was close to calling a cab during free period and heading to the manor however he knew it wasn’t his place to announce his mother’s return and so he simply mumbled…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pop quiz,” it wasn’t a total lie… there was one in his English class on the chapters of the novel they were reading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald nodded though he didn’t buy it as a reason for Dewey to be so glum after all his biological father was a genius and it was clear with the way school came so easy to the boy that he had inherited some of his ‘genius genes’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say kid, I know it’s a school night but what do you say we go to Funzo’s for pizza, maybe a round of air hockey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched as the boy shot him a pensive glare before placing his guitar under his bed and grabbing the well worn blue flannel that was folded beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I can’t say no to Funzo’s,” Dewey replied with a smile.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>About a half hour later father and son arrived at the arcade which while evolved with the times still brought back memories to Donald of when he would come there with his sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Dewey spoke, “Want to play a round first before we eat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald nodded liking the way his son thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you go hold the table while I grab tokens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey nodded he began to walk in the opposite direction of where Donald was going beginning to think that this was the best distraction from what was going on in his mind and he’d have to thank his father later for suggesting it when he saw a familiar boy dressed in a red already waiting besides the air hockey table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” They both said at the exact same time as while they hadn’t been raised together as brothers and their personalities were all vastly different the triplets always seemed to be on a similar wavelength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the eldest it was Huey who naturally spoke up first as he nervously shrugged back his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom was at the lab when I came home from school,” he said in a whispered tone, “She wanted to have some family time before she headed back to the manor. Dad didn’t know how she’d feel about going to our house for a home cooked meal so he suggested here. Apparently mom and Uncle Donald used air hockey to settle their squabbles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was here! Dewey thought to himself….he was going to meet her...Donald was going to see….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speaking of Donald, he had made his way back toward the table instantly spotting Huey. If it was rare for him to take Dewey out on a school night it was even rarer for Gyro to take Huey yet here they were causing Donald to once more feel a tingle on the back of his neck insinuating something was wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatcha doing here Huey?” Donald spoke causing his nephew to nervously run a hand through his hair. Donald watched the red clad boy begin to open his mouth when suddenly he heard a voice speak from behind him… an all to familiar female voice that he never thought he’d hear again at least not until he one day passed on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DONNY!!! Is it really you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Dewey’s eyes grew wide like saucers as he was already faced in her direction before turning on his heels to face a familiar pair of eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DELLA!” He exclaimed back as he tossed his arms around his twin proving she wasn’t a mirage manifesting due to low blood sugar or dehydration, “When….how…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last night….lots of perseverance…” Della said, stepping back from her brother's embrace and placing a hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald was still in disbelief about the moment even though he could feel his sister’s grip on his shoulder reaching up to tangle his fingers into hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should of listened to you Donny,” his sister continued in a whisper as he began to realize that no this wasn’t some daydream this was real and if he were a gambling man he would be wise to bet on the fact that Dewey had somehow heard about his mother's return while he’d been with Gyro the evening before and that was why he’d been so distant. Speaking of Dewey, he observed his sister now gazing over to where the two boys still stood passively observing the reunion between brother and sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom,” Dewey’s voice finally spoke up, breaking the moment causing Della to curl her bill into a smile looking from the duckling to her brother and back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s quite your mini me isn’t he?” Della said looking toward her brother as she reached out toward the other boy, “Well except for the hair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving Dewey’s hair a light ruffle, Donald smiled back once more toward his sister flushing a bit at her words. Sure, Dewey had a talent for guitar and took his fashion queues from his childhood in the 90s personality wise he had very much been his mother's son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve heard so much about you from Webby and I can already tell we’re going to be thick as thieves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched the proud smile cross Della’s lips as she hugged both her sons tight thinking that the only piece missing was Louie though for some reason Donald suspected that deep down his young ‘cousin’ wouldn’t be as quick to warm up to Della being back due to the tight knit bond he already shared with Goldie though that was a worry for another day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I left you hanging,” Gyro’s voice soon filled the air breaking Donald from his thoughts, “I was on my way back from getting tokens and I got a call I needed to take….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice trailed off as he locked eyes with his brother in law.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, this is not the way I pictured things to happen tonight, Hubert did you call your uncle while I stepped away?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey simply shook his head as Donald shrugged his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great minds just think alike.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chicken soon began to chuckle as if someone had told a joke but Donald didn’t quite get just what the punchline was until he soon composed himself rolling his eyes and shaking his head side to side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got my masters degree at the age of thirteen and you got a degree in music theory….I hardly think our minds are on the same playing field.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della rolled her eyes at the exchange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I missed this,” she mumbled under her breath as her bill curled into a smile. “I guess you guys have the same paternal instincts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both men nodded agreeing that was the reasoning behind the five of them being at the same place at the same time on that specific evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So now the important question,” Huey said with a smile, a flash of his competitive streak in his eyes, “how do we want to match up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gyro took a step back from the table, a smirk crossing his lips as he crossed his arms together thinking about the epic matches that he had witnessed through the years he’d known the twins. “How about I sit this one out and it’s Huey and Della vs Dewey and Donald?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of contemplative silence however Donald cracking his knuckles soon put an end to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been practicing Della, be prepared to eat my dust…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring it Donny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been brought sis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boys looked towards Gyro as if to silently ask with their eyes if they were always like that to which the chicken nodded as the twins made their way toward opposite sides of the table and for the rest of the evening to passers by it was as if they were always one big happy family and hadn’t been torn apart for over a decade. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I looked up songs 'of the time' for Donald to be singing in the flashback and vibed best with Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit<br/>I kind of sort of maybe made an outline for this piece (and made some tweeks to the story summery) with the plan on having it show the first year of Della being back home culminating with her &amp; Gyro remarrying<br/>If there are any moments from the series or anything in general you want me to flashback to please let me know as with said outline I am fully planning this to be a 40-50 chapter novella with at least one flashback sequence per chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been just over a week since his mother had came back into his life and it was still so surreal for Huey to think about. He had hoped that after a night of family fun at Funzo she would of changed her mind and moved into the brownstone with him and his dad but she had simply gave him a hug and told him to be patient, unfortunately patience was NOT a family strong suit. Even as the I’s were dotted and T’s were crossed declaring Della back into the land of the living she had still insisted on staying at McDuck Manor to regain her footing. Because of this, most afternoons where he hadn’t had a  previously scheduled extracurricular activity, he had made his way over to spend some time with her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mother had normally been in one of the media rooms when he arrived and that afternoon was no exception as she was sitting on the couch immersed in a session of Legend of LegendQuest while Webby was sitting beside her engrossed in a book talking to herself before being the first to notice his presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” she spoke with a smile, “did you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring that photo album I said I would… yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey removed his satchel from his shoulder pulling out a leather bound book before placing his bag on a vacant chair and carefully draping his blazer over it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huey’s here, we can continue this later,” he heard Della speak over her headset before putting a pause in her game and tapping the empty spot beside her on the couch so that her son could take a seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sinking into the couch,Huey opened up the album to reveal a picture of himself dressed in his Woodchuck uniform, his dad kneeling besides him with a proud smile on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>October 2013:</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>It had only been a month but he had managed to already earn the first of what was sure to be many merit badges. Sure, he could have gone the easy way and started out with a badge in robotics or invention after all his father was a robotics engineer and diligent inventor however he wasn’t one to take the easy route and so he spent days...weeks...sketching out blueprints and building an ornate dollhouse. Sure, Webby had been in the process of moving on from “childish things” like her Quacky Patch doll and menagerie of stuffed animals however even she had an appreciation for the details he made to the miniature Colonial which earned him his architecture badge.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Sure, there were some that didn’t think a six year old could build something that intricate and it had to have been store bought but he had the splinters and scrapes to prove them wrong.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>He was still beaming from his accomplishment when his Uncle approached brimming with just as much pride as his father had been...perhaps even more.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“I have something for ya lad,” Scrooge spoke as he reached into his pocket, “I don’t know if ya father told you this but being a Woodchuck is kind of a family legacy.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Huey shook his head. No, his dad never said anything but he wondered if thats why when asking to join the organization his father was quick to say yes even though he didn’t seem like the outdoorsy type.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“Your mother was a Woodchuck, and a resourceful one at that.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Huey looked over toward the photo that his Uncle had handed him.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>“This was taken the day she became Senior Woodchuck.”</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Carefully folding the photo into his pocket he thought that one day he would rise to that prestigious rank.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d been flipping through the album which was mainly full of photos of a young Huey’s thriving Woodchuck career.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Launchpad told me that this fall I’ll be old enough to become a Senior Woodchuck and I’m basically a shoe in for the spot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A proud smile crossed Della’s face as she draped an arm around her son, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay, cousin Della,” Webby asked, looking up from the spot she’d been sitting in living vicariously through her second cousin's scouting stories.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m fine,” Della said, patting her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater, “I could lie and say it’s just allergies but I’m just so happy to be part of the narrative again. And...I’ve always wanted to be a den mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey couldn’t help but smile as his mom ruffled his hair with her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure dad will appreciate having an out when it comes to parent/child camp outs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but let a slight chuckle escape her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I can’t imagine your father being immersed in the great outdoors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle Gyro can be quite surprising at times,” Webby spoke with a smile though while the young girl hadn’t observed him on Woodchuck outings he had engaged in an adventure or two with impressive results.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey meanwhile just nodded his head as he flipped a page to reveal a candid photo of Gyro dressed for camping proudly and successfully pitching a tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s actually a pretty handy outdoorsman though he does get major withdrawals from the lack of technology.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe the three of us could go on a nature walk sometime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey smiled thinking that this was a sign that his mom's walls were beginning to lower and they would be steps closer to being a real family again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure dad could think of some other family activities for the three of us but I’d love to explore nature with you anytime mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll hold you to it,” Della said, flipping through more pages of the album commenting to Huey whenever an image peaked her interest meanwhile as Webby was also looking on she somehow seemed distant as if she were in her own little world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pink, if I have to indulge in listening to your cousin continue to droll on I’m going to scream,” a voice only Webby could hear began to say causing the girl to glance at her watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully it will be over soon,” Webby mumbled back causing Huey and Della to give her a look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What will be over soon?” Huey asked, turning toward his cousin with a raised brow when suddenly a figure dressed in green came into view in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sis, you have company,” Louie said, “Though you might know her too Hue, her bag has the same crest as your nerd school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey shrugged back his shoulder thinking if he had known Webby’s friend it had to of been just a passing classmate or acquaintance as most students were intimidated that he was the great nephew of Scrooge McDuck or at least that’s what he told himself to explain away his lack of social life outside of his family and Fenton.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then however he saw her and while the young hummingbird had replaced the Duckburg Preparatory uniform he was accustomed to seeing her in with a teal sweater and jeans he had recognized and in fact knew the girl as Violet Sabrewing his academic arch nemesis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is SHE doing here?” Both Huey and the girl only Webby could hear replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it you do know this girl,” Della said as Huey nodded however before he could speak the newcomer held her hand out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Violet Sabrewing, I go to school with Hubert and we share quite a lot of interests.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello Violet, I’m Della and I’m so pleased to meet one of my son's friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I never said we were friends and I don’t know where you got that idea no Hubert and I are rivals.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rivals,” Della mouthed in confusion as Huey stood up and crossed the room grabbing his satchel and blazer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’m just going to see if Launchpad or Beakly will take me home...keep the book for as long as you want. Webby, be careful.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>at one point I was going to make a one shot/side fic about Team Magic in this AU but then I decided to just make it a chapter....</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Webby watched as her second cousin left the room before turning to the young hummingbird a gaze of intrigue in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t tell me you knew my cousin”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When we met in the library the other day you just inferred that your cousin went to Duckburg Prep too,” Violet responded matter of factly, “you never mentioned that it was Hubert Gearloose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She has a point there Pink,” the other girl said with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking from the hummingbird to the Duck beside her that nobody else could see in the moment then back towards the hummingbird Webby gave a nervous hum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope that it doesn’t turn you off?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Violet shook her head as she placed a duffel bag down.  “Quite the contrary, I am pleased to know that I’m not to be outwitted on the subject of the supernatural by my admirable adversary though your brother being his doppelganger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby watched as Violet took a few steps toward Louie with a fascination in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My cousin Gyro cloned dear Hubert and I’m the better looking, more charismatic result.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby rolled her eyes as she watched Violet further examine the boy for a moment and believed his story all the while Della who was back to looking at the album began to chuckle...maybe at Louie’s comment or maybe at a candid shot of Gyro being outdoorsy one will never know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kidding...we’re biological triplets who got raised by different fathers.” shrugging back his shoulders as if that was a common occurrence he soon held out his hand, “We haven’t been officially introduced, Hi, I’m Louie McDuck future CEO of McDuck Enterprises and you’re…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve already stated my name,” Violet said in an uninterested tone as if  it was clear she’d be more fascinated if he had been a clone “...now where do you keep your spirit board Webbigail?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby curled her mouth into a Cheshire grin as Louie sucked in a deep breath putting two and two together aggressively shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...Webs...you’re not…Della you’re the adult in the room please tell your cousin she can’t summon her best friend back from the shadow realm!”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>June 2017:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Webby should have been excited, no she WAS excited that Dewey had moved to Duckburg for good and yet at the same time felt that the closer she was to her second cousin whom she also thought of as her best friend the further they became.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey, Dewey and Louie had grown up with different dads and vastly different childhoods however as the weeks pressed on since the middle triplet had returned they had become inseparable, like three peas in a pod. Sure, they never excluded her for being a girl however at the same time, Webby was beginning to feel like an outsider.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Dad’s taking us out fishing on the Melody,” Dewey said as the quad began to wander down the pier.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s the longest day of the year so plenty of hours to catch a big one and solidify my Junior Woodchuck Fishing Badge.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie rolled his eyes as he opened up a ‘note’ on his phone that said DAYS SINCE HUE MENTIONED HIS NERD CLUB hitting backspace he deleted the 1 and changed it to 0 before turning back toward Webby.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Nothing like the wind in your hair, salty sea air, and no imminent threats to our lives huh sis?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I don’t know, I think I’m going to sit this adventure out, let you boys and Donald have some guy time.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But you’re one of the guys,” Dewey said in an accepting tone however Webby simply shook her head. They said that...a lot...but what she really wanted was a girlfriend, a bosom buddy that she could go on crazy non life threatening adventures with like the triplets had with one another. She didn’t want to tell them she felt like a fourth wheel as she was sure Huey would quip about how most things need four wheels to function or something and so she just flashed the boys a half smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Maybe next time?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>They had known not to argue with her as there was a strong 90% they would lose and so they shrugged back their shoulders and headed toward where the Melody was docked soon leaving Webby alone to walk back from the pier. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And then there was one,” she replied both basking in the blissful quiet while at the same time feeling an aura of loneliness as she made her way back toward the downtown district lost in her own thoughts as she accidentally bumped into a figure.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Watch It,”the other girl said in a slightly annoyed tone as Webby at the same time smiled saying, “nice hair.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>For a family that thrives on adventure she doubted her parents or granny would approve of her dying a pink streak in her hair like this girl had. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>A few moments later Webby observed the girl was still standing there causing her to hold out an inviting hand.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hi, I’m Webby…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Old Man McDuck’s ‘daughter’ I know.” The other girl said, pleased that her mission had been easier than anticipated.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Webby had never heard her father being referred to by that before and so she let out a nervous chuckle</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lena…” her voice trailed off. She couldn’t use the last name DeSpell as Webby seemed like a clever girl and would instantly pinpoint that she was ‘related’ to Magica as afterall it wasn’t like that was a common last name like Duck. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lestrange….Lena Lestrange.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That night had been one of the best nights of her ten years of living. Grabbing a bite at a local diner, sneaking into a movie, and even somehow getting themselves tangled up in the Beagle Family’s latest shenanigans. When the adrenaline of it all simmered and she introduced her new friend to the boys they had mixed reactions...Dewey complemented her style and started going off about some band, Her brother was his usual smoothe self but Huey...he was a bit put off by her thinking she was bad news. At first Webby had chalked it up as him judging her by her pink hair and black nail polish however there had been greater cause for concern as her new friend Lena had actually been the “niece” of Scrooge’s long time enemy Magica DeSpell who had purposely sent the girl to befriend the two McDuck children as a means to finally get her shadowy hands on Scrooge’s fortune and on the night of the Winter Solstice the following year she near succeeded. Love, Friendship and above all else Family concord all however as the sorceress went into exile stripped of her magic while Lena faded into the shadows gone forever….or at least that’s what everyone thought. For the past few months however Webby had somehow been able to communicate with Lena’s shadow, she assumed it was because of her friendship bracelet after all it wasn’t the strangest thought. Only Louie had known about this fact until she had met Violet in the library a few days ago and was intrigued to see her reading a book on shadow magic and even more intrigued to see her with one of Magica’s pendants.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Della listened to her youngest speak letting out a slight laugh thinking herself as a responsible adult though she supposed she wasn’t the reckless 20something she was when she launched to the moon… it was then she processed his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shadow Realm! I don’t know how Scrooge has raised the two of you but he never let me or Donald practice magic in the house... though not for lack of trying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby bit the lip of her bill pensively. She knew Louie was the sibling who knew how to work the angles though she supposed some of that skill had rubbed off on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, dads off at some Billionaires thing being distracted by whatever scheme Glomgold has going on so if you ever did want to do magic…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve always wanted to participate in a seance...also a sleepover,” Violet said hopefully to some effect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a brief moment of silence as Webby looked from her cousin to her brother to her two friends hoping that the odds would for once be in her favor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve always wanted to participate in a proper seance too, and I mean as an adult I am supervising in case things go too far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby smiled as she watched Louie throw his palm to his face making a grumbled sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want no part in this,” Louie said, “it’s bad enough I risk my future on adventures but in my own home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby nodded thinking about how Louie favored the business end of the family legacy more than the treasure hunter side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t say anything, just make sure not to draw Launchpad or Beakly’s attention...and if you do succeed…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby watched as Louie turned his head toward Lena almost as if he knew just where she was standing in the moment as his look of annoyance over his sister's actions shifted into one of hope and longing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...tell Lena that I’ve missed her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve missed you too penny bags,”  Lena said as Louie left the room leaving Webby alone with her cousin and two friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So...where is that spirit board?” Violet asked, suddenly breaking the air of silence that had filled the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My bedroom,” Webby replied soon suggesting that they relocate there instead of bringing the spirit board back into where they were as it was in a more secluded location in the manor for one and two....this was a slumber party after all so who not do things in the room where she...well slumbered. By evenings end Della wasn’t the only long lost person brought back into the family fold and the young girl couldn’t have been happier.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have an outline made of where I want to put major plot points and then I just have filler chapter written in between... this is one of said filler 'bottle episode' chapters....<br/>I really was vibing for a Louie/Doofus frienemy ship which in coming up with a flashback idea lead to some revisionist backstory for Doofus (heck most characters have some interesting revisionist backstory in this AU)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>May 2015:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The Mayor's Manson was the second most impressive home in Duckburg falling only behind McDuck Manor itself. The house was virtually a museum however instead of the ancient and probably at one time cursed artifacts that Scrooge had acquired through the years Joshua Drake had an impressive collection of fine art. Upon visiting the mansion for a dinner it was said art collection that had impressed the eight year old siblings.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Amazing,” Webby said, “I thought this piece was lost to the sea in a shipwreck over a century ago.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie had shrugged back his shoulders as he looked toward his sister taking her word for it as history art or otherwise wasn’t his favorite subject as he liked looking toward the future and not dwelling in the past.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It was,” a voice from behind the duo spoke, startling them slightly, “My grandmother's art dealer heard that it was salvaged and being restored and she just had to have it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The siblings turned around as they watched the boy who looked to be their age maybe a year older curl his mouth into a smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You must be Webigail &amp; Llewellyn, it’s a pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance and welcome you to my home.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie raised his brow as for a young kid this boy was acting as if he were the owner of the great estate when surely he was not.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m Doofus Drake, richest Duck under the age of twenty one.” </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie watched as he took Webby’s hand and gave it a chaste kiss and in the moment the girl ate it up, always a bit of a romantic meanwhile he couldn’t help but cross his arms at the boys admittance.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You’re funny...if you know our first names then I’m sure you know our last.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Doofus nodded.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I am well aware that your father is Scrooge McDuck.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Then you should know that he’s the richest duck in the world.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Doofus nodded in agreement to that statement before curling his bill into a smirk.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But, it’s HIS fortune where as 80% of what you are looking at in this house is mine.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie shook his head in disbelief thinking that the kid was trying to get a rise out of him and man it was working.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You see...when my beloved grandmother passed she decided to leave everything and I do mean everything to her one and only grandson....sure, technically my mother was named my ‘custodian’ until I’m eighteen but that’s just a tiny little detail.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie watched as Webby’s enamored expression faded thinking she wasn’t buying this boy's air of arrogance either.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I hope this doesn’t intimate you Llewellyn as other kids our age just don’t know what it’s like to...have a certain standard of living and I was hoping we could be great friends….or at the very least mild acquaintances.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Friendly Rival?” Louie replied with a raised brow.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’d settle for that.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When my horoscope talked about reconnecting with something lost this month I just thought that Dewey was going to return the hoodie I let him borrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie smiled at his companion as he moved a chess piece across the board pensive biting his bill awaiting the other boys next move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doofus shook his head as he thought for a moment before gliding his piece across the board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d kiss that hoodie goodbye Llewellyn, your simpleton of a cousin could use something designer to stand out at the public school of his, you and I both know it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie nodded his head thinking about how while Dewey lived a more mundane life then he had the boy did love to be the center of attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Green isn’t Dewey’s color...anyway check mate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie watched as Doofus rolled his eyes while he gathered up the fallen pieces and began to reset the board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For as much as we enjoy going on about how much of a nerd Huey is, you're a chess master.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie nodded his head in agreement taking it as a compliment even though he was sure that it was Doofus’s way of making fun of him for not actually being the cool confident future CEO he presented himself to the public as. Truth be told Louie was kind of a nerd being a chess master and a general wiz at numbers. He had cultivated his talents in helping out his family getting out of many scrapes as well as being heavily invested in playing the stocks on a lucrative stock market app. Sure, technically the account was under Launchpad’s name until he was eighteen but that’s just a tiny little detail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Doofus said, moving his piece as they began a new game, “I’m sure Webby’s excited for Lena to be back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of Lena’s name, Louie couldn’t help but feel a subtle fluttering of butterflies in his stomach. The girl had been living in the manor now for the past week and seeing her day in and day out was giving him feelings. Feelings that he hadn’t felt when his biological mother Della returned from over a decade on the moon. Feelings that had caused him to make a move that he normally wouldn’t have played.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I see she’s not the only one….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie assessed Doofus’s latest move trying to figure out if he could recover from his mistake however at the same time he wondered just what kind of power that DeSpell girl had over him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Somebody is smitten…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should go on a double date….me and Webby, you and Lena…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the other boy's proposal, Louie couldn’t help but let out another slight chuckle. First of all Webby wasn’t remotely interested in Doofus and secondly…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re eleven, a little too young to be dating don’t you think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a lingering moment of science before Doofus let out a sigh and Louie tried to read what he was about to say or do next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about a group hang then, I’ll even stoop so low as to hang out at Funzo’s if I must...oh and by the way checkmate Llewellyn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie rolled his eyes. He was distracted and off his game though at the same time he thought to himself that Doofus deserved to at least have one win here and there from time to time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best two out of three?” He asked with a shrug as he reset the board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doofus nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not...it would give us a chance to carry on with this conversation...so Funzo’s?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie drummed his hand on the table contemplating just what a great first move would be. Sliding his piece across the board making sure that his queen was protected at all cost as he had a reputation to uphold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I kind of overheard a conversation that Della had with my dad on her second night here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doofus’s eyes lit up like saucers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gossip...do tell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard her commenting about how one of the employees bared a ‘striking resemblance to Magica DeSpell’ so if that’s where she’s lying low it’s probably not the best place for Lena to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doofus nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about your birthday? It’s less then two weeks away and I’m sure that your mom...Della...is planning some kind of event to make up for all those years lost to the moon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie nodded. He had heard her talking both to Scrooge as well as Doctor Gearloose about having a big family to do...emphasis on family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t say event...just a small family get together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Lena will be there right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie nodded his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean she kind of lives with us at the moment so...I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then it’s settled,” Doofus said crossing his arms, “If I win then I’m coming over for your family birthday celebration...if you win...well we can table this discussion for another day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie looked at the chessboard and from what he thought he had seen a win was in the bag for him and so he nodded his head in agreement making his next and what would be final move as soon he was met with Doofus’s bill once again curling up into a seemingly maniacal smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Checkmate Llewellyn...now I don’t need a formal invitation, just a text with the date and time will do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie let out a sigh as he nodded his head before holding out his hand to formally shake on the subject.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mark Beaks had just stepped out of the dry cleaners as he inhaled a breath of air. It was going to be a good day, the parrot thought to himself as he made his way down the sidewalk to reach the meter where he parked his segway. Waddle was about to launch a new app which would mean more exposure as well as capital. He was about to whistle a happy tune until his day took a turn as he spotted Gyro Gearloose standing on the opposite side of the sidewalk causing him to roll his eyes. He never liked Gearloose as even though he’d been the founder and CEO of a major tech conglomerate, the other bird was employed by Scrooge McDuck and had all the resources and contacts to go with it… also “Gizmoduck”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a huff of annoyance he was about to ride off back to corporate when soon he spotted another being joining the scientist who even at a distance he could tell it was a blast from the past...23 years in the past to be precise.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>September 1996</em>
  </b>
  <span>: </span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>When given the choice to join his father’s soccer team or take cotillion the later was the obvious answer. Sure, spending a couple afternoons a week in a stuffy country club wasn’t ideal but for a brief moment he had managed to gain the attention of his fashion magazine mogul of a mother, plus gaining the ability to sweep any future girlfriends off their feet with a dance was an added bonus.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Entering the room for the first time however he began to wonder if being his father’s waterboy would have been a better option then his mother's high society aesthetic and then he spotted her across the room. She looked just as awkward as he felt gently biting her bill while she fidgeted anxiously with the headband on her head and he just knew he had to introduce himself to her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Taking a few steps into her direction he was stopped by a well dressed swan which was to be one of their dance instructors.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Marcus,” she said in an all too excited tone as she placed a hand on his shoulder shuffling him closer toward the girl whose yellow dress shone like the sun, “This is Dumbella.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Please don’t call me that,” the girl spat back being met with a head shake from the instructor.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ms. Duck,” the instructor said as if to compromise, “Will be your dance partner so I leave you to get to know her.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The Swan sauntered away leaving the two teens to silently look at one another before his companion was the one to break the silence.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I hope you weren't expecting some perfect little princess Marcus was it?” she spoke as she walked around him in a circle as if to assess what she would be working with.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Mark would be fine” he said curling his beak into a smile as he held his hand out towards her, “Anyway trust me Bella I’m no Prince Charming either, I’m awkward and uncoordinated and I apologize in advance if I step on your feet.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at his words before taking his hand to accept the shake.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That’s not my…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I know...but what kind of person would ever settle their child with a name like Dumbella, and besides Bella means beautiful in Italian and from where I’m standing you're the prettiest girl in the room.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as her cheeks flushed a crimson shade.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Okay now let us begin,” the Swan said before their conversation could continue.</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For the next few months he and “Bella” had gotten to know one another. He had learnt her name actually was Della rather quick but he didn’t seem to care. She was smart, funny, beautiful, rich, ambitious….everything he could ever want even though they were only thirteen and for the next six months she was his.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>March 1997:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It was the night of the ball and they had long since been presented and shown off some of their etiquette skills and were now dancing.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Mark couldn’t help but admire just how amazing his partner looked dressed in her white gown, her hair pulled up in a braid with jeweled hair clips which shined like the stars in the sky.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You were amazing out there Bella,” Mark spoke with a smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And you, never stepped on my toes once tonight.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Mark couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as he looked at her. He didn’t want whatever it was that was between them to end...in fact he wanted more. He wanted to introduce her to his mother, to have her introduce him to her uncle and brother...but with the cards he was dealt it wasn’t meant to be.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let's step outside for some air?” he suggested as the song ended causing Della to nod her head as she linked arms with him before stepping out into the courtyard.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I never thought all those months ago when my uncle informed me that I was to attend cotillion that I actually kind of didn’t hate it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’d like to think I was the reason for that.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’d like to think that you’re right on that assumption Marcus.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Her beak curled into a smile as their eyes locked and his heart began to race. This wasn't how he had wanted this moment to go and he knew what was about to happen would make his words a harder pill to swallow however in the moment he didn’t care as he tilted in and gave Della a kiss. It wasn’t too intense but it was powerful enough that it took the two teens a brief moment to compose themselves as they pulled back.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, does this mean we’re a couple now?” she asked as he felt his heart slowly begin to rip as he shook his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I leave for Switzerland in the morning,” Mark said in a bittersweet tone, “Going on a family ski trip in the Alps before being unloaded at a Swiss Boarding School...so much for getting on my mother's good side huh.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, you’ll always be my first great love,” Della said with a smile, “And who knows...one day maybe fate will cause our paths to cross once again.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m counting on it Bella.”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Crossing the street he approached the duo catching a bit of their conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t that a bit excessive?” Gyro’s voice spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve spent the triplets past eleven birthdays on the moon, let me have this Gearloose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gyro let out a chuckle as soon Beaks made it into their general proximity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ciao Bella,” he said a smile on his beak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you..” Gyro began as Della tossed her arms excitedly around the parrot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marcus!!!!” she exclaimed causing Gyro to shake his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...no...NO!.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ignoring Gyro’s reaction to the moment he looked up towards the duck giving her a once over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All these years later and you’re still the prettiest girl in the room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the only girl here...and look at you…the Swiss mountain air did you good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I leave to go book you two a room?” Gyro asked with an annoying tone in his voice as he placed a hand on his hip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beaks was about to say something snarky about Gyro obviously being jealous when he began to observe the way that Della began to look down toward her left hand and the sparkling sapphire that sat on her ring finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re my present and my future, just let me indulge in my past for a moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della turned toward Gyro giving the chicken a soft peck on his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how do you and ‘Marcus’ know one another anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when I told you that Duckworth had Uncle Scrooge send me to take cotillion when I was thirteen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vaguely,” Gyro admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I was her dance partner… and kind of her boyfriend for those six magical months.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You went to Europe before we had a chance to put a label on it,” Della responded with a shake of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>True though he liked to imagine that if he hadn’t left it would have been the inevitable next step. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but all these years later I still can’t help but think about that kiss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You KISSED him!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beaks kind of liked the way that for once Gearloose was jealous of HIM even if in the end it was the self righteous scientist who had landed the girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was years before we met, and honestly you’re a much better kisser.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched the way that her beak pressed against the chickens in a way that was much more passionate than a couple of inexperienced teens could have ever expressed… now who was the jealous one he thought to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, I’ll leave you two lovebirds be… I’ve got a meeting about my new app launch in thirty...did I forget to mention I’m the head of a media conglomerate now Bella?.. I’m the richest parrot in the world with a fortune only rivaled by your Uncle Scrooge and Flintheart Glomgold. You should call my people to set up a meeting as I’d love to catch up on the past two decades sometime. And Gearloose… always a pleasure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that he crossed the street to get back towards his Segway but not before giving the couple one more glance in the hopes that his presence had caused some kind of crack in their relationship however instead he was met with a picture of their hands intertwined and Della’s head rested comfortably on Gyro’s shoulder. Well… she could have done worse though he didn’t see a wedding band gracing her finger and so deep down there was a faint glimmer of hope.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been a full month since Della had returned to her family and it still felt so surreal as she balanced on a ladder to hang up streamers. Sure, it was still two days until Huey and Dewey’s actual twelfth birthday, three days until Louie’s as the younger triplet managed to hatch at 12:01am, and another week until Webby’s but the family decided as a whole that today should be a day for celebration and so there she was...decorating the foyer of the manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re celebrating you too you know,” her fiance said with a smile as he stepped into the room, shopping bags in hand and a smile on his face as he looked her over. “Anyway, you really should have a spotter, we’ve lost too much time together already and I selfishly don’t want to lose you again to a coma.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been a month...gravity has become my new best friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as Gyro raised one of his brows and let out a slight huff before curling his bill into a slight smile. Man she didn’t realize how much she had missed his smile until it had become a fixture in her life again.Watching now, she soon noticed the way he tilted his head toward the breast pocket of the pale green button up he’d been wearing observing as one of his lil bulbs peered out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help your mother with the decorating,” she listened as the chicken spoke in a commanding tone to his mechanical minion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della rolled her eyes as the bulb bounced up the rungs of the ladder before perching on her shoulder, grabbing the end of the streamer before then jumping up onto a shelf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Gyro said defensively, “my inventions are just as much my kids as our boys are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just please don’t have Gizmoduck call me mom.” Della replied with a chorus of giggles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise, though I should introduce you to Maria sometime. You’re both strong, fierce, slightly intimidating women.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della could only assume Maria was Fenton’s mother sparking a tinge of curiosity as to what kind of relationship she and Gyro might have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she finished hanging the streamers with the bulb’s help, Della climbed off the ladder wrapping her arms around her fiance’s shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So if you’re here where is Huey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dropped him off at the marina with Don and Dewey, I figured I’d get a head start coming here to the manor to make sure you weren't going overboard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ME!” Della exclaimed, “Go overboard….seriously Gyro seriously….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a step out of the foyer and into the dining room she admired her handiwork from her many hours of toiling to get ready for the festivities. Red, Blue, Green and Pink Balloons seemed to occupy a vast majority of one side of the room while the dining room table had a row of chafing dishes set out to eventually hold a pretty substantial buffet of all the kids favorites...also there was a four tiered cake that Beakley was hopefully en route to picking up now after Della had instantly been shot down when she said she wanted to make her (in) famous firework cake. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s like funfetti but instead of sprinkles I use a secret ingredient,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she had told the kids a few days ago, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“the secret is pop rocks.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve missed eleven birthdays…” she said thinking back to the first that she had missed.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>April 2008:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della didn’t know how many days she’d been in flight before crash landing on the moon nor did she know the exact day her eggs hatched however from her tally of how many days she’d been sitting in her makeshift bunker trying to figure out how to rebuild a ship to get back home it had been 365 days.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Happy Birthday Boys,” Della said hoping against hope that one of her transmissions broke through the vast void that encircled her. “I’m sure by now you’ve made your first steps, possibly said your first words...and whichever one of you was raised by your father...well I can’t begin to think of whatever other firsts you might have already accomplished.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Letting out a chuckle for a moment she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Gyro and the boys...it was what kept her going most days.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I imagine you look like this,” Della said holding up a crude scribble of three ducklings. She was much better at drafting blueprints then doing actual art and thought that if anyone outside of herself had seen her work they would laugh.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I promise to spend a birthday with you again someday…..soon.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“...Let me have this one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched the way that Gyro looked at her with a challenging gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay I’ll let you have this one, but come December I don’t want you to start going overboard to make up for the many Christmas’s past.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh don’t worry about that, I’ll be on the hunt for Santa…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someday you’ll have to tell me all about your uncle’s vendetta.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded as Gyro’s bill slowly moved toward hers about to connect into a kiss when the sound of footsteps echoed in the air and Donald entered the room instantly reaching his hands out to shield Dewey and Huey’s eyes from any potential PDA the boys could be witnessing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are just kissing,” Dewey said as he shook himself away from his father's grip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And when mom moves in I’m sure I’ll be witnessing it all the time,” Huey added as Donald relinquished his shield of his nephew’s gaze, “Which hopefully will be soon, I know you said to be patient but it’s been a month and next to a growth spurt it would be the best birthday present ever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a bit bitter that Louie has been gifted with our shared father’s genetics when it comes to height.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why shouldn’t I be bitter, I am the oldest triplet and it’s wrong that my youngest sibling is three and a half inches taller than me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della simply shrugged her shoulders thinking Huey did have a point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t be an overachiever at everything,” Louie spoke as he entered the room placing his hand on the other boy's shoulder as there was suddenly a knock on the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duckworth,” Della called out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t bother, I’ll get it,” Louie said as he walked toward the door causing Della to raise her brow as to her it looked as if the boy had known something she didn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the door opened a young hummingbird stood there holding a shopping bag with a smile on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, this is what a party looks like?” Violet said with a smile, “I guess I’m the first one to arrive...anyway, where are Webbigail and Lena?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Upstairs getting ‘Glammed Up’,” Louie said as Della looked over toward her brother and fiance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought this was supposed to be a small family get together? Oh my god I hope that we have enough food!.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della began to frantically walk toward the kitchen as Donald placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take a deep breath and count to ten sis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della rolled her eyes thinking about all the times they had told this to one another growing up putting a smile on her face as she began to count.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“1--2--3…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, while we wait, Hubert can we talk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey shrugged back his shoulders wondering what she had possibly wanted to banter about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you might not know this but before I met your cousin I never had any friends and so I didn’t know if I should have just purchased something for Webbigail as she invited me or if I should get something for you and your cousins too…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reaching out she pulled a book out of the bag she was carrying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it’s not much, but when I was in a vintage bookstore I saw this and thought of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey looked down at the well preserved first edition of one of his favorite novels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can take it back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I love it...thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as her eldest nervously went in for a friendly hug before going for a handshake instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They remind me of the two of you when you first met,” Donald whispered toward the other two adults in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but both smile at her brother's comment and shudder at the thought of her babies ever having girlfriends. Her thoughts were soon interrupted however as a voice filled the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh good Violet you could make it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della turned toward the two girls who true to Louie’s comment were glammed up with Webby in a pink dress, her hair down in a light wave of curls and Lena in a metallic purple sweater with leggings and a sparkly clip in her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it looks like I’m the only one,” Violet said as she reached back into the bag pulling out a wrapped package and handing it toward Webby with a secretive look, “it'syay ayay agicmay ookbay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della didn’t want to tell the girls that she was well versed in Pig Latin as she began to wonder what Scrooge would think about his daughter dabbling more and more with the supernatural. That was a thought for a different day as another knock on the door caused everyone to look up as Louie headed toward the door only to return moments later with Doofus who instantly gave Della a once over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not as classy as your step mother but she definitely has your eyes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della rolled her eyes...Goldie….classy…Anyway where WAS she? Surely Scrooge would have gotten in contact with his wife the moment he had heard his niece had resurfaced and surely even if he hadn’t that the woman would want to be there for her children’s birthday.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, did you all invite a friend?” Della asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I can totally call Fenton that unless you need him at the lab dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I can go to the carriage house and get Launchpad, though I’m sure he’s already going to come in at some point to fix himself a plate of food and grab a slice of cake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della simply shrugged her shoulders back as she nodded her head. Why not, the more the merrier and if a few unexpected but totally invited guests was the only chaos to unfold then so be it.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just want to give lots of love to the creators of this show as well as the original series for creating this vast world. I’m having fun playing in the sandbox of their creation messing around with different and I’m sure also at times controversial pairings/overall character dynamics . I’m always open for constructive criticism as I’m sure there are other creators in the community as that’s what makes us better at what we do and love but please refrain from hate. The world is already a shitty place and words hurt…</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lena thought that it was generous that the McDucks had let her live in their home for almost a month especially considering her past. It was always about her Aunt Magica’s mission… get close to the McDuck Children and get info on snagging Scrooge’s Prized Number One Dime however the more she got to know Louie and Webby as well as their cousins the less she had wanted to see it through. She shuddered thinking about that part in her past, living on her own in a motel room, her aunt’s controlling voice pressuring her from the shadows.</p><p>It was a chapter in her life she had hoped to move past, however still as Webby smiled at her from across the room she couldn’t help but think back to where she had been a year ago.</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>April 2018:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She’d been sitting on a swing when the other girl approached.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Can I join you?” she asked, causing Lena to nod her head taking in her companion's appearance. Webby had been dressed much nicer than normal in a light purple sundress and white cardigan.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Somebody looks fancy, so is there a new hospital wing bearing your father's name that I should know about?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Webby shook her head. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“My granny took me to High Tea at this little tea room downtown for my Birthday.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Your...Birthday?” Lena had asked with a raised brow a tinge of curiosity in her voice. Sure, she had heard about Birthdays but she had only ever experienced them in movies that she saw on the old motel television and nothing she had ever expected to be conversing to anyone about.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh my god, we’ve been friends for almost a year and never told each other our Birthdays,” Lena listened as Webby’s voice was given a panic struck air to it, “I’ve probably missed yours already huh.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Lena simply nodded thinking that truthfully she didn’t know when her Birthday was. Would it be the day Magica had created her or would it be the sorceress's own birthday afterall Lena had been made in her image...though honestly and gratefully she didn’t really see the family resemblance beyond the balls of purple magic that pulsed from their hands.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s no big deal pink.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It is to me,” Webby replied, crossing her arms, “You’re my best friend!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>BEST Friend...that moniker both made her heart flutter in delight and cause a chill to run up her spine at the same time. She never thought she’d have any friends yet alone a BEST one and it sucked that it was only a matter of time before the other shoe dropped.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“September,” Lena blurted out, just naming the first month other than the one they had been in that came to her mind, “My Birthday is in September.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Five months later, Lena was surprised when she arrived at the manor for what was to be a normal slumber party with Webby only to be greeted with a banner in Webby’s room and a small cake. The other girl apologized saying it wasn’t much however at the time she didn’t know that this was actually the first birthday that Lena had experienced for herself and she was touched by the other girls gesture.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Don’t give Huey a big piece, he doesn’t do sugar well,” Lena listened as Gyro’s words broke her from her thoughts, or maybe it was the hand that had made its way toward her shoulder from behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Being a part of something special makes you feel special huh?” a voice filled her ears. The words were something that she was sure her aunt would have said to her to try to poison her perspective however turning toward the person actually speaking them, the smirk crossing his bill she could tell it meant something more meaningful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just a conscious observer here pennybags,” she said with a shrug and a smile as she observed a slight flush cross Louie’s cheeks, “Nothing special about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re wrong,” she thought she heard the green clad duck mutter under his breath causing her to gently bite the lip of her own bill. God he was impossible and charming to a fault. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Love is Weakness’ Magica’s words still echoed in her head like a phantom of her past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she mumbled to the voice in her head wondering if Louie had suspected he’d been being answered as opposed to her talking to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then that from across the room Lena spotted that creepy friend of his...Doofus she believed his name was trying to chat up Webby who was having none of it as she’d been chatting with Violet about something causing a tinge of jealousy to overcome her. Sure, if it wasn’t for Violet she wouldn’t be here but she couldn’t help but think deep down that she was being replaced as the other girl's best friend. She swore that the boy had been giving a wink in Louie’s direction however...nope...the darkness had taken over as a ball of magic burst from her fingers causing the flames of one of the chafing dishes to rise though not at enough impact to ignite a fire just with enough force to cause any activity in the room to pause as all eyes fell on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Lena replied as she began to back away, “you can take the girl from the shadow realm but you can’t take the shadow realm out of the girl. I appreciate your kindness Mr. McDuck but I can pack my things and I’ll be back to the motel tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A saddened look crossed Webby’s face at these words as Louie’s hand reached for her arm, both siblings pleading silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That won’t be necessary lass,” Scrooge replied as he looked over toward where his nephew had been standing, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can at least stay the night,” Donald said with a smile, “I was going to pull you aside when the guests went home but...how would you feel about moving to the marina with me and Dewey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena was taken by surprise at the other duck’s words as Dewey managed to take a few steps toward her with an excited look in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to say yes you just HAVE to, I mean think of the jam sessions we could have and besides little known fact but my dad kind of sort of knows a bit of magic in his own right and can help you control your impulses.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was these words that caused Lena and honestly pretty much most of those who were in the room with the exception of Scrooge and Della to look at Donald and Dewey with a shocked gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a long story,” Donald said with a shrug</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know in various mediums that Donald practices magic to various degrees and so I figured why not have him take in Lena in ... I don't know yet if it's just going to be a mentor capacity and eventually like in cannon Lena will end up with the Saberwings or if I want her to just stay with Donald</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Maybe I wasn’t digging deep enough to find a detailed account of Donald’s magical use in various media (I have heard that in Kingdom Hearts he wields magic but I couldn’t find any details of it) so it turned into a cop out of oh yea, Dewey TOTALLY over exaggerated things….also there is a scene in this chapter that ‘could’ come off as self harm even though as you read on it’s not my intention at all so giving a trigger warning to cover my bases--- </p><p> </p><p>--</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>October 2001:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald had been sitting on the foot of his cot strumming his guitar as a young parrot stood in his doorway arms crossed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Come on Donald where's your sense of adventure.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Hitting a chord, the duck simply shook his head as he looked up toward his new friend.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“In a world far far away from campus Zé,” he said with a sigh thinking that the whole appeal of going away to a university instead of continuing on with correspondence courses was to take a well needed breather from his Uncle’s eccentric adventures. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>So, technically a hike on a clearly marked trail wasn’t anything like the incredible journeys he’d go on with his uncle and sister however there was a reason that he had lasted less than a year in the Junior Woodchucks and that was because him and the outdoors were like oil and water. Though college was a time for reinvention and perhaps the fresh air could clear his head and help him gain some inspiration for his composition assignment.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Fine, I’ll go on the hike with you.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em> They had made it halfway up the trail when the sky opened up and rain began to fall from it like a waterfall. José thankfully always carried his trusty umbrella.  His friend had joked, at least Donald assumed he’d been joking as he said it had magical properties however the only property the duck had witnessed it having thus far was it being a functional fashion accessory. The umbrella had helped to keep the duo dry moving forward however as the rain continued to fall the trail kept getting muddier becoming more dangerous. Thankfully they had managed to find a small cave that was made well enough to hunker down in until the storm passed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s starting to get dark,” Donald observed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Si,” José spoke, “thankfully I packed extra provisions so maybe we spend the night just to be safe?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald shrugged back his shoulders as he pulled out his phone checking for bars in the hopes to let their other friend Panchito know where they were as he thought to himself that this wasn’t the adventure he signed up for.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Anything?” José asked, checking his own phone.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Nope,” Donald replied as they reentered the cave letting out a sigh wondering if a search party would show up to rescue them even though they weren't in harm's way. Then again, with his luck there was a good chance that a bear or coyote or something would find their way home only to be met with house crashers.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Trail Mix?” José asked holding out a bag causing Donald to shrug before taking it however suddenly out of the corner of his eye something drew in his attention.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Tossing a handful of the mixture into his mouth, the duck soon turned toward his friend.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You wouldn’t happen to have a flashlight would you Zé?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The parrot nodded his head tossing the tool toward his friend who proceeded to move deeper and deeper back into the cave.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald had wanted to escape the perilous adventures he’d faced with his Uncle Scrooge however perhaps it was a family blessing...or curse that no matter where a member of the family went adventure would follow.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He had soon spotted what he had been drawn to like a moth to a flame. A geode shining a sparkling light in the darkening cave. It surely was a phenomenon of nature after all this wasn’t some treacherous temple or some cursed cavern and his dorm room could use a bit of decor. Carefully reaching out he picked up the object and from then on his life was changed.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It had been a couple of days since the party and Donald had no charters on the books for the day due to it being his son's actual birthday. The plan was to meet up with Gyro and most likely Della once the boys were out of school for some celebratory skee ball at Funzo’s however in the meantime he’d been standing in the living room area of his row house with Lena.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” the young girl had said placing her hand on her hip, “If you know a bit of magic how come you didn’t fight blow for blow with my aunt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald let out a long and lingering sigh as he shrugged back his shoulders slowly shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because, my son likes to over exaggerate things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Lena let out a huff. It was clear that the teen had disbelief over the fact that he could practice magic and while what he had wasn’t as glamorous as what she’d been used to he really wanted to prove her wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold out your hand,” Donald soon instructed as Lena raised her brow pondering for a moment before doing as she was told. Crossing the room, he picked up a pair of scissors from a nearby table and gave the palm of the other duck’s hand a small slice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching as she  jumped back at his actions, he soon noticed a small pool of blood beginning to form on her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the!” Lena exclaimed as she began to use her magic to heal her wound before giving Donald and icy glare, “I thought this was supposed to be a safe space, I didn’t think that you’d attack me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald nodded. That was fair, and with the hand that Lena had been dealt he really wanted to gain her trust. The wound on her hand had easily healed through her own means and as he wondered for a moment if she would retaliate by tossing a blast of her magic at him he soon decided to simply take the scissors and slice his own hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is wrong with you!,” Lena replied with a frantic tone crossing the room to get closer to Donald, a purple orb beginning to form in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Donald replied as he watched as the blood began to pool before reaching  out with his free hand to grab a stone that had a bit of an iridescent sparkle to it from his pocket holding it over his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now Watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might as well,” Lena replied with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald smiled back as they both watched as the blood began to crystallize and the wound began to heal itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I found a healing crystal in a cave freshman year of college, that’s it, that’s my deep dark magical secret.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched as Lena let out a laugh and soon he began to laugh along with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, at least this place is less intimidating than that stuffy mansion and more homely then the motel I was living in.” Lena replied as she flopped down on the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It does have it’s charm,” Donald replied with a smile as he pushed aside a throw pillow and took a seat beside her, “and it’s your home for as long as you want it to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gee thanks Mr. Duck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out another chuckle Donald shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, call me Donald, Mr.Duck makes me sound old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched the young girl give him a thumbs up she soon  spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, now what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I CAN help you control your impulses to keep your magic contained, that wasn’t over exaggerated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched as once more Lena simply raised her brow clearly curious as to what he meant by things this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are both emotional people, you have your wild magic and me...well I’m a bit of a hot head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at another shocked look on the girl's face it took him a moment to realize that she hadn’t bore witness as of yet to his infamous bouts of rage even when he had a few outbursts during the events of what the family and media had dubbed the Shadow War.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can teach you some calming breathing exercises, or music...Dewey mentioned the two of you ‘jamming out’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All Lena needed to do was give the older Duck a silent nod for him to realize she was down for whatever methods he might throw at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just as long as you don’t pull any more stunts with scissors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I Promise,” Donald replied with a smile as he stood up to start heading for the kitchen to grab them something but not before looking back over his shoulder to her. There was still a lot to unpack about Lena DeSpell but one of the things that was for certain was that the girl had potential, plus for the most part she could understand him which was definitely an added bonus in his book. This was going to be an interesting arrangement as it had always been just him and Dewey, well and the occasional couch surfing from his cousin Feathry however he kind of couldn’t wait to see how things unfolded.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you murdered my first born by sticking gum in the engine!” Della exclaimed as she turned to face Launchpad who simply shrugged back his shoulders innocently. It was still hard to process at times that fate had brought Della back into his life, okay sure he was working for her uncle but up until a little over a month ago he thought she was dead...well everyone did as a matter of fact. But here she was in the hanger looking over the Sun Chaser...er Cloud Slayer with such an intense passion in her eyes that it caused him to let out a slight sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gum is proven to be a universal adhesive,” he replied, walking beside her placing a hand on her shoulder only to be met with a sharp glare. Removing his hand just as quickly as he placed it there he simply shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, between the Sun---Cloud Slayer, the boys and all of your fiance’s inventions how many children do you have now Dell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but laugh a laugh that was truly infectious causing a smile to cross his bill as he thought back to simpler times.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>June 2002:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>On the one hand  a summer rain had given a blissful reprieve from the sweltering heat however on the other it had caused that afternoons airshow to be called off which was what had brought a fourteen year old Launchpad to dip into the common area of the residence hall they had presently been living in.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“OMG Seriously!”  he heard his younger sister Loopy squeal.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I mean who knows for sure,” another young female voice said, causing him to blush a bit as he noticed his sister chatting with Della, the young girl who had spent the prior summer taking lessons from his parents and who had taken up residence as part of the show for at least their summer season.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what are you ladies talking about?” He asked, slipping into a seat on a sofa in between them.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“How Della almost made out with her Uncle’s techie.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad felt a bit crushed at his sister's words as he had hoped in four years once he turned eighteen he’d have a chance with Della. She was a shiksa goddess who knew her way around airplanes to boot. Though it was only natural he supposed that she would have her fair share of suitors. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Made out just sounds so bawdy,” Della said with a shake of her head. “Anyway he can be a bit of a jerk and egomaniac but then he will flash me a smirk or casually tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and I’d start to feel butterflies that I haven’t felt since I was Loopy’s age dating my ex Marcus.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad simply nodded his head thinking that the last thing he wanted to hear about was Della’s love life however it was all he could do to humor her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You probably don’t want to hear about my romantic entanglements though… What about that show you got me into the last time we were rained out...got any more episodes on tape?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>AND she was interested in Darkwing Duck too….he silently thought to himself as he flashed her a grin.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“As a matter of fact I do have one more tape you haven’t seen.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as Della’s flashed him a smile before he turned toward his sister.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Care to join us?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Loopy shook her head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No, but if you get bored with the ‘Terror That Flaps In The Night’ and want to gossip about your genius you know where to find me.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della nodded her head at the younger girl as Launchpad retreated to his room to grab his tapes.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>—</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“OMG,” Della squealed in a manner reminiscent of his kid sister though somehow kind of adorable, “it was his doppelganger….”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Fansites have coined the term negaduck,” Launchpad said with a shrug of his shoulders.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well put on the next tape… I have got to see what’s next.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad looked at her with a sad face.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“Okay so they are threadbare from too many re watches, then tell me what happens next!”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“The show got canceled, some say it was creative differences others say low ratings but regardless…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as Della shook her head clearly in denial.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I have been penning a lengthy continuation that includes DW teaming up with a scrappy young orphan and a dashing pilot.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And I bet the pilot just happens to be a ginger who comes from a long line of aviators.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad couldn’t help but flush a bit as she called him out on creating a self insert in not so many words.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Add in a femme fatal in a will they or won’t they relationship with the pilot or a member of the rogues gallery whatever is more juicy and then show me the manuscript.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What if the femme fatal IS a member of the rogues gallery who falls hard and fast with the pilot?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>He watched as Della’s face lit up with the suggestion as wheels in his head began turning and hey even if they couldn’t be together they at least had their self inserts.</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“More children than I care to count,” Della soon replied to his earlier question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of your children…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huey is being promoted from Senior Junior Woodchuck to a full fledged Senior Woodchuck?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad shook his head thinking of Huey who was such a good Woodchuck that there were days it felt as if the preteen was the councilor and he’d been the camper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soon, I promise. No, Jim Starling is doing a meet and greet tomorrow and Dewey and I planned to go and so I was wondering if my favorite femme fatal would care to join us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched now as Della’s face blushed causing him to wonder if he came on too strong however sooner rather than later she gained composure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t thought of Darkwing Duck since that summer.. I can’t believe you're still into that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the passionate people like me that keep fandoms like Darkwing Duck alive. Anyway you never did get to read the final draft of my epic “The Further Adventures of Darkwing Duck” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Has Dewey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad nodded</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Has he, but don’t worry I don’t think he realizes the female antagonist is you...so what do you say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First of all, I say that now I need to read it to see if I need to sue you for decimation of character. Second isn’t there a saying about meeting your heroes...or rather not meeting them”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Says the pilot who personally had Birdie McQuack as her flight instructor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re good,” Della said with a chuckle as she gazed at the engine again with a shrug of her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had either accepted his handiwork was adequate or decided things were a lost cause however he really didn’t want to change the subject and ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway , I’ll take a pass but you boys have fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh you know it.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was a bit stuck with my Huey flashback but I hope it was a cute father son moment to distract from the drama ahead....also there is a word I used in this chapter that I was internally arguing about using as I didn't know if it would come off as ablest If using that word was offensive in any way I am truly sorry</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Huey couldn’t help but grin a wide grin as he looked over toward where his mother was sitting tinkering with something at the workbench. She had been shaky about spending time at the home he shared with his dad when she first arrived back in Duckburg insisting she needed baby steps. For the past two months he would spend long afternoons at the manor or show up in the lab after school to see her antagonizing his father and Fenton. It was afternoons like those that made him smile the brightest. But now here his mother was in the Gearloose garage helping him with a project that could earn him the Junior Woodchuck badge that would push him into the next rank. It was everything he could ever wish for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still can’t believe Uncle Scrooge owns a movie studio,” Dewey’s voice spoke up, breaking his concentration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay so he didn’t wish for his cousin to be loitering around the first time his mother had set foot in the house but biologically Dewey WAS his brother….maybe he should wish for a normal family tree instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Launchpad told me all about it in great detail on the way home from our meeting last Wednesday.” Huey replied with a smile as the sounds of his mother’s tinkering filled the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He talked at length all about things as well,” Della said, tossing her jacket over the back of a chair before looking at her work. “I warned him about how meeting his hero would be a bad thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a nod Huey turned to focus on the project after all it was to earn him a Woodchuck badge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who was he to know Jim Starling would be such a megalomaniac?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From across the room the blue clad duck shrugged back his shoulders as he began to haphazardly play in his guitar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what a megalo-whatever is but I really hope that what happened didn’t spoil my shot of eventually composing music for a McDuck production one day inevitably getting me hot on the path to earning an EGOT.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the corner of his eye, Huey soon watched as his mother's face lit up at the other boy's words.It was clear to see that even after all the years apart she loved hearing about her sons hopes and dreams even if Louie being the CEO of the family business or Dewey being a famous composer seemed so mundane compared to his dream of making an impact on society much like his fathers.</span>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>January 2017:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Entering the lab with a smile on his face he looked over toward the newly framed diploma that was hanging on the wall, a sense of pride over the accomplishment still hitting the nine year as he shifted his gaze toward his father's direction. </em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hey Dad,” the boy replied, taking the chicken out of what he’d been doing in the moment to look up to smile back at his son. “So how’s the intern search going.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey knew that his father was having mixed feelings about having an intern join the team however in the moment it seemed that he was taking things in stride.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I hired someone today actually. A physicist, that way he can bring something to the table while staying out of my personal space...it’s what we like to call in the science community a win-win Hubert .”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey nodded his head eager to meet the young scientist as he knew that they would become fast friends.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what are you working on now?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“My magnum opus,” Gyro replied with a smirk as he pointed to what looked like a deconstructed mech suit lying on the table, “My earliest drafts for this were made before you were even hatched, in fact this part here was inspired by a blueprint your mother scribbled on the back of a napkin.” </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey watched his dad pick up a piece that was lying on the table however as he looked on in wonderment he still didn’t know the purpose of what was being built and so he raised a brow.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what does it do?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ideally it will change the world. It will be a state of the art assist in security. First step is protecting McDuck Enterprises and then we go global with this baby.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>There was a slight mechanical tinge toward his dad's tone which came up whenever he seemed to get ahead of himself in his endeavors however it was up to the kid to help him crash back to earth so to speak.</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“As long as it doesn’t become evil like some of your other high profile attempts at artificial intelligence.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“My inventions aren’t evil, they are just wildly misunderstood.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I should get you a shirt with that printed on it next fathers day.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t you dare….anyway homework?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Nodding his head Huey crossed the lab to the small work space that had been set up for him to work when he would come to the lab after school.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The sounds of static brought Huey out of his thoughts as the looks of a picture began to emerge from one of the monitors. Picking up a notebook, he was ready to take note of whatever signal they had picked up for posterity while Dewey put down his instrument and edged closer out of curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we made first contact,” his cousin exclaimed while his mother grimaced a bit. She still didn’t talk much about her time on the moon and it was kind of concerning for the pre teen.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hello Hello</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The trio stood stunned as Della’s face flashed on the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know it’s been a while since my last transmission but I have some cause for that….I have been found!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The view soon panned from Della’s face to a group of alien-like creatures mulling about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU made contact!” Dewey exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della just nervously grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yep definitely something concerning Huey thought….</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They say they are going to help me get back to you so maybe by the time you see this I will be on my way.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or I could be sitting in the room,” Della replied dejected, “seriously you never got any of my transmissions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both boys shook their head as Della gave the monitor a hard wack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phooey,” she mumbled among other things as another bout of static began to signal something was making its way through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear if it’s one of my harrowing tales about fighting moon mites I swear…”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Della...Della</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The boys watched as one of those alien creatures was looking into the monitor trying to talk to their mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Penny!” Della exclaimed excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is that your…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched as the alien pointed in his general direction. Was this a live feed from the moon!!!! Fascinating! He began to scribble something down as his mom sucked in a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my Huey, and the other boy over there is my Dewey, and….you can hear me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s a little bit patchy but….I hate to break up your family reunion…dropped your blueprints….Lunaris is fuming….invasion imminent!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a sudden spark as the monitor completely fried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey couldn’t believe that in all the time his mother had been away radio silence but now…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to scribble down more notes until he noticed his mom staring stone cold frozen at the monitor looking like a fragile rag doll.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is bad….this is very bad...and it’s all my fault.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So yea i did some internet research… defcon 3 was what was used for 9/11 so I felt that would work for this scenario</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Della could feel her heart racing as she crossed town to head back toward the manor. No, this couldn’t be happening, it simply couldn’t be. How could Lunaris do this...and just as she was getting her life back on track. They were going to have a family dinner and she was going to ask Gyro if it were okay to spend the night but now...now…</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>A Few Months-A Year Ago (it was hard to pinpoint time when on the moon):</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della had a good feeling about things. Ever since being taken in by the moonlanders she had made great strides in rebuilding the spear and she could almost feel the embrace of her boys in the moment. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Penny guess what!” she exclaimed, turning to enter the room when she heard a muffled voice causing her to pause.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“She’s nothing but trouble,” the voice of one of the many moonlanders spoke...she really didn’t think it was worth taking the time to know their names after all she was determined to blow this Popsicle stand and didn’t want to make long term commitments… well aside from with Penny because she was her roommate and stood up for her all those times Lunaris wanted to just …. She didn’t want to think about it.</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I thought so too, but perhaps she could be the key to giving the moon it’s rightful do.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She had no clue what Lunaris meant by this and she didn’t want to know as Penny soon rounded the corner.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You shouldn’t be eavesdropping Della, you might be inclined to hear something you shouldn’t .”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Penny raised a brow as she placed a hand on Della’s shoulder. It was clear that her friend had been keeping something from her but she really didn’t want to press matters after all the moonlanders were so hospitable to her she didn’t want to ruin her welcome. </em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Though perhaps she should have pried because then she would have known that the Moonlanders had planned to invade the earth and she was the one who had wrapped the planet up in a bright red bow!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Entering her uncle’s study, she looked over to where Scrooge was sipping at his tea looking over what looked to be an important document.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle Scrooge, you're happy that I’m back right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking up from his paper the older duck nodded his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh course I’m happy lass,” he replied, “You were the closest thing I had to a daughter before adopting Webbigail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning the frame that had been sitting on his desk around she was surprised to see it reveal not a photo of Louie or Webby or even Goldie but a picture of her at eighteen standing in front of the Cloud Slayer with a wide grin on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not a day went by that I didn’t think of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Feeling a pain in her chest at his words she really didn’t want to disappoint her uncle but she knew that she had to rip off the band-aid sooner rather than later before things got way out of hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope your feelings for me aren’t tainted by what I’m about to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing can make me disappointed in you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sucking in a deep breath, Della began to tell her Uncle about Lunaris for the first time. About how there were days that she didn’t know if she was a guest or a prisoner and about the conversations she’d eavesdrop on from behind closed doors insinuating that he had some kind of vendetta with the earth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did a bad bad thing...I dropped the blueprints to the spear and well...he’s invading!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Scrooge gave her a glare making her wonder if he had in fact been disappointed with her however instead he got on the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Defcon 3,” he spoke with a serious tone in his voice, “Yes, she’s fine she’s with me...curse me kilts are you sure….ALL OF THEM....well  that’s nice that Gizmoduck’s okay...boardroom one hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della only needed to hear Scrooge’s side of the conversation realize he was speaking to  Gyro and to once again make her think that this was bad this was very bad. </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>An hour later she had arrived in the boardroom where what she could only describe as a war council had been formed. Looking around the table she caught sight of Donald, Beakley, Detective Cabrera, Gizmoduck, Launchpad, as well as someone seated beside  her fellow pilot who had seemed to take the art of cosplay to the next level actually believing he was Darkwing Duck. The situation was too dire to pass any judgment as her fiance soon stood besides her giving a reassuring squeeze to her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While her love language wasn’t physical touch the gesture was rather reassuring as was the way he whispered, “it’s not your fault,” into her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her uncle soon gained the attention of those in the room explaining about how the Moonlanders had made contact and had managed to take out all their usual defense systems.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are probably after me,” Della soon spoke, “I could take the kids and search for allies...strength in numbers am I right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were some murmurs around the room as people were beginning to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. On the one hand she had experience with the Moonlanders and could possibly suss out a weakness in their army however on the other if it WAS Della that they were after perhaps they would turn their ships around if they knew she wasn’t in Duckburg.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>There was so much going on that Della couldn’t tell how much more time had passed before Donald left to collect the Boys and Webby (it had been decided that Lena and her special skill set would be more suited for the front lines)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking in a few calming meditative breaths she began to assure herself that they would triumph. ‘Ducks Don’t Back Down’ she silently reminded herself as she observed her surroundings. Launchpad was living out his teenage fantasies as he was enthusiastically conversing with that Darkwing LARPer while Gyro was chatting a bit with Gizmoduck who then began in turn to whisper something to the Detective who soon began reaching into her purse for something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More moments slipped by in a blur as the kids were safe and secure inside the Cloud Slayer leaving just herself and Gyro standing against the plane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now remember, the bulbs are stubborn and probably will only respond to you or Huebert...hopefully the other kids don’t take it too personally.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della let out a slight chuckle that even surprised herself in the moment as she doubted that Dewey, Webby and especially Louie would care if the bulbs responded to their commands. It was then that the mood seemed to be more somber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the past two months I know you’ve gone off on a few adventures with Scrooge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, in the back of my mind I can’t help but think of...anyway, I’m not normally a man of faith but Maria told me I should give you this for protection.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reaching into his pocket, Gyro soon pulled out an empty keychain and placed it into her palm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“St. Christopher is apparently the patron saint of travelers and this will help you, our boys, and our precocious young cousin get back to me safely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise you won’t lose me,” Della replied as she committed her fiance’s embrace to her memory before thoughts of the Moonlanders began to fill her head leading her to mentally add, ‘or that I won’t lose you.’</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>at one point I wanted to keep going and end this chapter with the five of them crashing onto the island however I decided I wanted to post something tonight.... that said now I'm blocked for a Dewey or Louie centered flashback for next chapter so ideas are welcome (may be pre-Della's return or a snippet from the last two months)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Louie had a knack for seeing all the angles and so it wasn’t long before he had realized that maybe Della taking them away from the action wasn’t just to help in gathering numbers but for a different more personal purpose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The realization came as they reached Egypt where it appeared that the Moonlander’s had been two steps ahead of them already engaging allies Amnuet and Faris D’jinn in combat. If Della’s feathers could flush an even whiter and paler shade then he was sure that they would. The boy hadn’t seen his birth mother  this jumpy since the day she had arrived at the manor and he was wondering if there was more to the story.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>March 2019:</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>He still didn’t know what to feel about things afterall Goldie had been the only mother he ever had known however as he was asked to bring her some food he knew he’d have to show some emotion sooner rather than later.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Knock Knock,” He said toward the slightly opened door as the older woman soon moved forward to open it. She had cleaned up since she arrived, her unruly long hair falling down into a damp wave...her tattered aviator outfit replaced by a pair of oversized sweatpants and a faded Powerline T-Shirt.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Dad and Mrs. Beakley told me to bring you something to eat. I know it’s not much…”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are you kidding, compared to the oxygen gum I’ve consistently been chewing for the last eleven years this turkey sandwich looks like a full on Thanksgiving feast.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie couldn’t help but chuckle as he placed the tray on a desk in the corner before turning around about to leave.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Wait...Louie was it?” she spoke or rather asked as shaking hands reached out for the sandwich instantly beginning to devour it.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Turning back around he nodded, flashing her a smile.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Short for Lewellen, seriously why would you saddle a child with that name?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“My full name is Dumbella if that makes you feel any better?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Actually no, cause you knew going through life with an unfortunate name…”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Sucks,” she said along with him with a nod, “well, your father…er…”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Doctor Gearloose…”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie watched as Della’s brow raised as she mouthed the word ‘Doctor’ before getting back on track.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“We only had agreed on the shorthand names of Huey, Dewey and Louie before I..”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Her voice seemed to trail off for and for a split second it was almost as if she’d gone catatonic before her bill curled into a grin as she whispered, “personally I wanted to name you three Jet, Turbo and Rebel.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie paused for a moment as he tested the name out in his head. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yea Rebel McDuck doesn’t have the same future CEO of McDuck Enterprises ring to it.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie watched as she chowed down on more of her meal before adding.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Though my cousins do tend to refer to me as the evil triplet.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well are you?” Della asked before letting out a burp.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“I mean I can be cunning and manipulative at times...mom calls me her little sharpie.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>At this he watched Della’s expression sadden…..</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>His thoughts of their first one one one moment soon faded as the present conversation filled his ears….</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sel, you’re the goddess of the moon you could mediate with Lunaris…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I’d do anything for you Dells.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then if you won’t fight can you at least let me and the kids take sanctuary?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Father doesn’t want us to have any involvement in the situation…. but I don’t know what I’d do if Pal Donald was to get hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Say if ….when...this is all over you and Don should come for a visit...I’ve missed you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve missed you more.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Louie watched the expression that Della made as she walked away from Selene...as broken as ever as she waved them back into the Cloud Slayer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” she spoke after taking a deep breath, “who is next on the list?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well…” Huey began as Della held her hand up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually… let’s deviate from it  for a moment after all if the Moonlanders got to D’jinn who knows who else they’ve tracked down. Hmm I’ve never mentioned Birdy or Ripcord McQuack by name when I talked to Penny about my airshow days…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know Launchpad’s Parents?” Huey asked with a raised brow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were part of an Air Show!” Dewey exclaimed excitedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Louie watched as Della simply nodded her head at his cousin's inquiries to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then again, Launchpad very publicly works with Scrooge so I’m sure they have done their research. Think Della think...we need to find a place to keep us safe and then we need to find a way for me to covertly slip into the fray to steal Gyro away so we can be a family again and….”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She seemed to be talking a mile a minute almost in hysterics as the plane began to swerve back and forth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Della,” Louie spoke as he reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Mom…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was then the older duck turned her head and curled her lips to a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You called me mom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shrugging his shoulder back casually he couldn’t help but smile. Sure, he called her mom as it was what she needed to hear in the moment but deep down he was honestly really beginning to enjoy her presence in his life and there was definitely room for two moms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take a deep breath and count to ten,” he continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His mother slowly nodded her head as she closed her eyes and began to count as the plane began to swerve once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Launchpad told me how to set this thing to auto pilot,” Dewey claimed as he made his way to the co-pilot seat and began to reach out to take hold of the controls. Whether he was too late or he hit something he hadn’t been supposed to hit the plane began to lose altitude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure, he’d been in many crashes when Launchpad had taken the helm on his various adventures with his father however there was something about this crash that for a moment unsettled the young boy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dewey what did you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think he did anything,” Della spoke, getting out of her meditative state and looking at the controls before looking at the kids and strapping her own seatbelt on around her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, brace for impact.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Goldie O’Gilt had never settled down in one place longer than it took to run a con as the art of the chase had been her siren song. She didn’t know when Scrooge McDuck became her homing beacon as they had been dancing the same dance for years upon years… ex partners ex rivals ex lovers ex everything at one point or another however seeing him at that museum gala hearing him talk about his children it kind of struck a chord with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pleased when he agreed to go on an adventure with her for old times sake and was just as shocked as he’d been when asked if she was behind the officiate of their sham of a wedding being legally ordained...man she wishes she had thought of that though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The life of a wife and mother was a pleasantly surprising one and at the same time one that she had wondered if she’d ever see again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Shadow war had been hard on her as she definitely saw a spark between Scrooge and Magica De Spell rooted in the long standing dealings the sorceress had against clan McDuck. Scrooge assured her that there had been nothing going on with Magica however at the same time she kind of needed time to breathe and the opportunity to go on an excavation sounded appealing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was just supposed to be a few months… she’d be back in time for the kids birthday with time to spare...but then those blasted Sky Pirates came before they even reached their site.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately for her a parachute was in arms reach, even more fortunate that she had landed on this island...she just hoped that that the young robin from the Duckburg museum who’d been accompanying her as well as their pilot had made it somewhere safe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting cross legged on the sand, Goldie reached out for the locket that had been hanging around her neck feeling tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she looked at an old photo of Scrooge from their days in the Klondike on one side and a candid shot of Louie and Webby on the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise I’ll get back to you,” she said, choking back tears as a sound filled the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom,” Louie’s voice spoke causing her to let out a sigh. No, she was being delusional after all she’d been here for four months give or take and as far as she knew there was nobody else here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, the impact of the crash was much tamer then when I landed on the moon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Moon?” Goldie mouthed to herself as she soon realized whose voice was speaking, a voice she didn’t think she ever would hear again, a voice that she was sure had sparked so much joy in her husband's world...that was if the voices were real and not just figments of her imagination.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>September 1999</em>
  </b>
  <b>:</b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald and Della had entered the foyer of the manor when they spotted a familiar figure lounging about as if she owned the place.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What are you doing here?” Della asked, crossing her arms allowing for her hands to sink into the sleeves of the oversized beige sweatshirt she had on.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Can’t a gal drop in on an old friend?” Goldie had asked with a smirk as she triggered something in Donald.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No way I’m going to bear witness to the latest episode of this soap opera, if you need me sis I’ll be in my room.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>With that Donald’s footfalls moved up the staircase to the second floor and seconds later the familiar sound of his slamming bedroom door echoed through the halls.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well that was a mood,” Goldie replied.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well can you blame him? Everytime you show up out of the blue it’s one kind of drama or another and one day I swear it’s going to lead my uncle to the grave and Don and I will be on the streets.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You’d survive...your brother on the other hand… anyway sometimes I swear your uncle is immortal but even so, no, I don’t want harm to ever come to my beloved Scroogie, by the way where is he?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Finance Meeting… though I suspect he’s actually on some adventure he deems as too dangerous for us… I mean I’m sixteen, I’m not a child.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Goldie eyed the teenaged duck up and down before crossing her arms.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Of course not, you are a capable young woman...anyway, since I’m here let’s chat.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m not going to tell you where whatever artifact you're snooping about for is being stored.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Goldie couldn’t help but shake her head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I was just going to ask about what kinds of interests you had lately.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Watching the teen as she began to play with the sleeves of her sweatshirt some more, Goldie listened as she responded with a sudden air of enthusiasm.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, I’m in the process of scouring the salvage yards looking for parts for the airplane I’m building… and in twenty one glorious months I’ll be able to get my pilot's license and spread my wings.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Goldie couldn’t help but smile thinking that the young girl reminded her of herself in a few ways.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You’re a bride of adventure just like your dear aunt Goldie aren’t you?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Observing now as the girls demeanor shifted a bit she wondered if it had been too much to use that moniker.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You wish you were my aunt,” Della instead teased with a snarky flair to her vocal tone, “Anyway, I guess I am.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie took a deep breath as she began to push through the small amount of brush to get a closer look...hoping against hope that it wasn’t a mirage however at the same time why would the children and a woman who had been dead for over a decade be here now on this island and if they were here was her precious Scroogie? So many questions ran through her mind as she heard a collective scream followed by two bodies colliding with her, one a boy in green and the other a girl in pink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom!” Webby said, “What are you doing here, I thought you were still in South America?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never made it there, Sky Pirates hijacked us before we reached our destination.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope it wasn’t Don Karnage,” Dewey spoke from Della’s side, “I’d hate to think that our rivalry nearly cost you your life Aunt Goldie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a rivalry with a SKY PIRATE!!!” Della exclaimed. It was hard for Goldie and the others to tell if the woman was excited about this detail or enraged however before they could make a call Huey spoke up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dewey wiped the floor with him in a sing off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t help it if I have pitch perfect tone,” the blue clad boy spoke with a shrug of his shoulder as Goldie took a few steps away from her children to look Della in the eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it really you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s really me Aunt Goldie,” she spoke, “man that sounds so wrong yet so right at the same time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie simply shrugged her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like we both realized that we could have it both ways and be brides of adventure as well as actual brides.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie’s eyes soon fell upon the sapphire and diamond ring that circled Della’s finger curling her bill into a smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And might I say, the good doctor has exquisite taste when it comes to fine jewlery… who knew?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded her head in agreement and it was clear from her eyes that the younger woman missed the scientist just as much as she had missed her Scroogie. Kneeling down toward the red clad boy now, Goldie soon raised her brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, kiddo, is there anything in that Junior Woodchuck Guidebook of yours about getting off an island.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey reached for his satchel which he had managed to take with him after the crash. Removing his prized possession from it he began to flip through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stranded on an island…” he muttered to himself as he began to flip through page after page… “Let’s see...oh there is a list of 50 ways to prepare coconuts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would have been something nice to have known weeks ago,” Goldie replied as she watched her nephew continue to flip through pages with an eagerness in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Oh...there are detailed schematics to build a raft...between me and mom it will be easy as….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey’s eyes trailed off as Goldie soon observed that Della had managed to separate herself from the group and was seated against a tree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know guys, I mean being here on this island together...maybe it’s for the best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s right,” Dewey replied, “I mean these waves are amazing and I’ve always wanted to surf.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young boy picked up a piece of driftwood and began to make his way toward the water immediately being flung back to shore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phooey,” he muttered under his breath clearly about to do it again when the green clad boy held his hand up to stop before taking a seat besides his birth mother placing a hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know being on the moon caused you pain, and who knows what the moonlanders are doing back in Duckburg.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did I miss?” Goldie asked, whispering to her daughter as she shrugged her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Long Story,” Webby said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we have all the time in the world right now don’t we spitfire?” Goldie asked before turning her eyes back toward her son and listening in on the conversation at hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes for the moment the six of us are here together as a family but what about the rest of the family...my dads, your brother, Launchpad, Beakley, Lena...is it fair if we just abandon them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh it was clear that Della had thought that their son had made a good point. Sharpie was always good at giving a motivational speech or pep talk when the going got tough, Goldie thought to herself as the boy continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know part of the reason you took us away from the situation was to keep us safe but our family never backs down...and between Huey’s brains, Dewey’s tenacity, my perceptiveness, and Web’s weaponry skills if the A Team hasn’t managed to subdue the Moonlanders we will do it...as a family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Goldie wondered if the boy's words had broken down Della’s walls. Finally after a few more lingering moments, Della managed to stand up turning her gaze to Huey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, what supplies do we need to build that raft again?” She asked however the boy’s gaze was turned toward the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahhh FISH!” Della exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not any fish,” Huey spoke as another pair of  voices that Goldie had NOT counted on hearing any time soon soon filled the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahoy Little Donalds, Mrs. Scrooge…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dells Bells? Is that really you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There had been many strange sights that Goldie had seen in her years of adventures but none as strange as Fethry Duck and Gladstone Gander riding up on a giant krill like knights on white horses there to save the day.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a heads up at the end of the flashback scene there is some exposition about and eventually a fade to black moment regarding Della and Gyro hooking up...I feel with this fandoms key demo being minors I needed to be transparent with that...also lyrics used are from the song I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gyro didn’t know all the nuanced details of how Lunaris managed to have been overthrown. His gadgets, Gizmoduck included, Lena’s magic and even a bait and switch between Scrooge and that Darkwing guy had only got them so far however they just didn’t have the numbers and soon only Scrooge, Beakley, Donald,and Launchpad had remained uncaptured. He knew that the whole event was the farthest thing from Della’s mind and that the boys are more than likely unreliable narrators and so he’d never know the finer details about how his family had rode in on a giant krill in the eleventh hour and between them never backing down, an unholy alliance with Flintheart Glomgold, and the dazzling heroics of his bride to be’s<em> ‘moon bestie’</em> Penumbra the day was saved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been roughly 72 hours since Lunaris was sent on an orbit around the earth and since then Della had hardly left his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had been sitting on the couch of the brownstone, her head rested on his shoulder as a slight sigh escaped her bill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I could get used to this.” Della spoke smiling up toward him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As much as I loathe procrastination I could get used to this too,” He admitted thinking that the past few nights where Della had finally spent the night were the happiest moments he’d spent in over a decade. Placing a kiss on her forehead he could see the slight flushing in her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s time to take our relationship to the next step?” Della soon asked, causing his own cheeks to begin to flush.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>July 2006:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gyro sat in the lab just as he’d done practically every night that summer toiling away on what was to be his greatest invention to date, a fully functional rocketship that would take his career as an engineer as well as McDuck enterprises to new heights. Sure, mechanical engineering wasn’t his specialty but with some slight consultation with Della things were falling right into place.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ereeka,” the chicken soon exclaimed as he began to dance around the lab celebrating a victory not noticing as another figure entered his underground sanctuary until that person began to dance around with him like the free spirit she was.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what are we celebrating Gearloose? You finally able to crack the algorithm for World Peace?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He couldn’t help but let out a slight chuckle as he curled his lips into a smirk. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Trust me if I figured out World Peace I would be doing more then just bopping along to the radio.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched her take a seat on his desk chair twirling herself around as if she owned the place which she definitely did not, placing the bag that she was holding gently besides her as she did so.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well then tell me your cause for celebration and I’ll tell you mine.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The tone of Della’s voice was utterly intoxicating in the moment and the thought that she had her own breakthrough had intrigued him.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, I think I’ve made a defining breakthrough where the Spear of Selene is concerned.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He couldn’t help but watch the way that Della’s face lit up as in the moment however he didn’t want nor need a distraction even one as pleasant as she always was though he would never give her the satisfaction of saying that to her face.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That’s amazing!” Della exclaimed as Gyro watched her open her bag pulling out a rather familiar sized rectangular item causing another smile to spread across his bill. After Della had come back from her second summer with the McQuack’s she’d been at a crossroads as to whether or not she wanted to continue to tour the air show circuit or if she wanted to pursue a higher education. Naturally, Gyro had convinced her to get a degree in mechanical engineering stating that he didn’t want to see her waste her potential...plus the fact that it meant she’d be hanging around the manor well…</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let me get a good look at it!” He replied looking down at the framed piece of paper stating that Dumbella Duck had earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Duckburg University.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I figured since you weren’t at the carriage house you’d be here in the lab and I wanted to go out…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You’re out now,” flashing Della a smirk, Gyro handed her back the frame which she tucked gingerly back in her bag for safe keeping before crossing her arms over her chest.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know what I mean, live a little Gearloose...come out to the club...dance with me.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gyro simply shook his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know I don’t like fraternizing with drunk buffoons and besides…” He paused pointing to the stereo in the corner of the room, “there is plenty of room in here to dance.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Watching as Della curled her lips into a smirk that radiated both an air of mischief and seduction he listened as she rebutled.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What about upstairs? We just HAVE to toast to our accomplishments and I know where my Uncle Scrooge hides his Good Scotch.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gyro knew that Della wouldn’t take no for an answer and so after a moment of silence he began to file away his notes and gave in.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Some time had passed as the duo had now been sitting in the office belonging to McDuck Enterprises CFO Bradford Buzzard. Gyro had been sitting on the lush leather desk chair while Della had been seated cross legged on the floor. Both of them had glasses half full of an amber liquid while a half filled bottle of Scotch sat on the desk.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know, if it weren't for you I think I’d still be struggling on the design for the Spear.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Wow...is Gyro Gearloose admitting he needed someone else's help or am I more buzzed then I think I am?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gyro nodded his head as he got up off the chair to kneel beside where the female duck had been sitting.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Seriously Della, you’re smart...beautiful…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>A flush fell on her cheeks as he brushed a piece of her hair behind her ears with his fingers.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You think I’m beautiful?” she asked extremely shocked by his words it seemed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The chicken nodded his head. He had thought this since that night of the museum gala...the vision of her in that sapphire blue evening gown imprinted in his memory amidst all the scientific facts that he’d harbored.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Excruciatingly so.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as her cheeks flushed an even darker shade of red as her hands reached out to run her fingers through his mop of curls.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know, I’ve never admitted it out loud to anyone...well except perhaps Loopy and Selene...but you’re kind of cute too.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He could now feel his cheeks beginning to flush to a shade that equally matched his companion. She thought he was cute...not to mention she had shared this information with her friends? He could feel his heart racing at the thought that perhaps...maybe...having a meaningful romantic relationship with a person was very much something that would be in the cards for him after all and it wouldn’t just be him and his rag tag array of inventions for the rest of his life.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Maybe it’s time to take our relationship to the next step?” Della spoke, breaking him out of his thoughts as she looked upon him with a raised brow another glint of mischief in her eyes even more troublesome than the look he’d been given from her earlier.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?” he asked, wondering just what Mr. McDuck would think about the prospect of his beloved niece dating one of his employees.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della let out a sound that he couldn’t quite pinpoint… was it a laugh or a moan or a bit of both as she  rolled up onto her knees so that they were eye level with one another. First she had shrugged off her jacket leaving her well toned arms exposed from the curve hugging white tank top she’d been wearing underneath. Her hands soon reached up as she began to run her hands through his curls some more, her eyes locked onto his with an intense stare.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Soon, her bill began to push hard against his as she initiated a kiss. He had always wondered what kissing Della would have been like since that night when he was eighteen and Duckworth turning the porch light on interrupted their moment but he never pictured it like this. Sure, both their breaths reeked of Scotch but there was such passion...such intensity...while he was lost in the moment he didn’t realize that his hand had reached out and hit the ON button to the radio they’d brought with them causing music to fill the air…</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Pulling away from the kiss Gyro began to turn off the radio as Della’s hand enveloped his just as the next song began to play.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Dance with me.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe it's intuition</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Somethings you just don't question</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And there it goes, I think I've found my best friendI know that it might sound</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>More than a little crazy but I believe</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He obliged as they both stood up their bodies moving as one as they began to twirl around the room. This was like a dream a really really REALLY good one at that he thought as the final refrain of chorus filled the room their bills briefly meeting once more.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I knew I loved you before I met you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I think I dreamed you into life</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I knew I loved you before I met you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I have been waiting all my life</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>By the time the song ended and the station took pause for identification Della had managed to perch herself on the corner of the desk kicking off her shoes and tossing back the last of his liquor. As he looked back up from turning the radio off he was met with a wave silently asking him to come over. As he reached the table, he felt her hands reach up as they began to fidget with his suspender straps.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let’s do something impulsive.” she teased.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I thought ‘borrowing’ your Uncle’s Scotch was impulsive.” he replied as he shrugged his suspenders off leading to Della to move her hands towards his buttons as she shook her head. He’d never been one to think about engaging in casual sex with someone before however with this impossible woman he thought there was a first time for everything. Moving his own hands to the hem of her tank top he soon flashed her a smile in return as if to tell her he’d been all in.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“If you’re wanting to move up the wedding could we at least have a proper first date?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flashing her a smile he thought about how it all just happened so fast after that night. Della realized her eggs were fertile and they were going to be parents..him wanting to do right by her by taking her to city hall to become her husband. The chocolate shakes they shared at Hamburger Hippo had both been their first date as a couple and their honeymoon at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god!” Della exclaimed straightening herself up from her position clearly having wheels swirl around in her mind as clearly that wasn't what she’d been thinking about before but clearly she had been thinking this now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Selene said she wanted to catch up, perhaps instead of going off to Ithaquack she can get Zeus to allow her to come down to earth for some well warranted girl time...maybe Penny can come to so we can show her some good old fashioned Earth Fun…. not that a spa would the first thing I’d think of as being fun when traveling to a new place...but mud baths can be quite relaxing...and anyways….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gyro just continued to watch as his fiancé rambled thinking about how cute she was when she did so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I can get myself all gussied up you know, new dress, maybe do something different with my hair and then we can go out dancing. That is if you’ve grown to become comfortable fraternizing with Drunken Buffoons.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have you know I’ve gone out drinking with Don and his college buddies a few times while you were away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her bill once more pursed into a smile as her head returned to using his shoulder as her own personal pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, the next step I was talking about was moving in here with you and Huey, being a real family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaning over, Gyro couldn’t help but tilt his bill to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you're sure.” he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very, if the past few days taught me anything it was that life is a precious thing and I already wasted two whole months by living in the manor. I don’t want to waste another.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A part of him wanted to ask her what about Penumbra, after all with the Moonlanders who had been stranded being taken in by the citizens of Duckburg as if they were foreign exchange students and the one who was Della’s so called <em>‘moon bestie’</em> living in the manor surly she would want to be by her side while she transitioned into life on another planet right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what you're thinking, what about Penny?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was as if she read his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Launchpad seems pretty fond of her so I trust him to make her feel welcome...and besides I’m just cross town and we do have a guest room if need be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then...how long until you're packed?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m definitely adjusting my outline as 3B inspires me … as I fully was intending PenPad as one of my Beta ships in this piece but after 3x9 and Word of God I'm going another direction</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Fenton adjusted his posture as he crossed the threshold of the Gearloose Brownstone, box in hand. Sure, helping his boss move his fiancé in wasn’t technically part of his job description however he was always one to lend a helping hand even before he was gifted his ‘other job’ and besides he considered the couple to be two of his closest friends...not that they had much competition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he placed the box down on the floor he looked over toward the female duck who had been pulling clothes out of a suitcase and placing them in piles that could only be described as organized chaos on the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what is in here anyway?’ he asked motioning to the box he had just had, “rocks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t help but notice the way Della let out a slight laugh as she stopped organizing her things to take a few steps into his direction before opening up the box pulling out a frame that he instantly recognized was a framed certificate of some kind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t have the boys accolades being the only ones on display now can we?” Della said placing the diploma frame beside the pile of leather jackets seated on the couch before pulling out a trophy that he had noted was from winning at some kind of Junior Woodchuck Jamboree. “Anyway, my box of trophies should seem like nothing to you all things considered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Della winked at him causing him to flush a little thinking about how she’d been yet another person to know about his ‘not so’ secret identity…</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>March 2019:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Fenton had been working on trying to get some dings from his latest brush with the Beagle Boys out of his armor when the sound of footsteps took him out of his moment. He knew Doctor Gearloose would be out all day and it wasn’t like Scrooge to make check-ins like this. Turning his head he was pleasantly surprised to see the woman that he had met a few days ago. Doctor Gearloose’s fiancé... Huebert’s mom…</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“M-miss Duck,”he said in a flustered tone as he tossed a sheet over the suit hoping that she hadn’t caught a glimpse of it. Looking up to meet her eyes he was pleased to see that she didn’t have the same look of vulnerability she had when they first met, in fact she almost looked like a different person with the way hair now fell to just below her shoulders and the boldness of the red leather jacket she had on. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Just Della please,” she spoke with a smile as she crossed the room, the shine from her ring catching his eyes as her hand brushed against the sheet.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So where is the doctor anyway? I thought we could grab some lunch…Beakley’s food is heaven but I’ve been having a hankering for ramen.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Boosters meeting at Duckburg Preparatory all afternoon I’m afraid.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As he said this he watched as her face became crestfallen.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh,” she said somewhat deflated, “he could have invited me… I mean I am Huey’s mom. Okay so sure I was living in the depths of space presumably dead to all those I knew and loved but I’m here now… back and better than ever.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Maybe next time…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della simply shrugged back her shoulders and he half expected her to head back to the hydrolator as quickly as she’d come however instead her gaze returned toward the sheet.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what are you working on? If I can’t be involved in my son's education at least I can be involved in what’s going on here at the lab.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“W-well,” Fenton began his cheeks flushing a bit with nerves.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I promise not to be judgmental… I’ve seen in the years I’ve known Gyro I’ve seen some pretty epic failures.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fenton watched her from once more probably thinking about her time away on the moon.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And some pretty spectacular achievements as well.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fenton wondered if Doctor Gearloose would approve however then again there was a list of people who had known about his not so secret alter ego, a good amount of said people her own family members.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Okay… brace yourself…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Pulling away the sheet he watched as her gaze began to look at the deconstructed mech suit, brows raised as she took it in.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Interesting”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fenton nodded. His boss once confided in him that the seed money used to even make this project possible came from Della’s trust fund but he felt it was his bosses secret to share...however there was one secret he was ready to divulge.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Stand back,” he instructed as Della took a seat in one of the desk chairs a fair distance away from the younger duck. “Blathering Blatherskite!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As he was transforming into Gizmoduck, the chemist couldn’t help but watch her reactions from the corner of his eye.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“OH MY GOD!!!” Della spoke when the transformation was complete, “that was AWESOME!!!! This is more insane then my wildest dreams of what Gearloose could create...and I totally meant that as a complement.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Flipping up his visor he couldn’t help but curl his bill into a smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I think Doctor Gearloose feels that Gizmoduck is his greatest achievement...well next to being a father.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Gizmoduck,” Della said, letting the name linger for a moment, “I like it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Now if only I could be seen as more than just a lowly intern and security guard for hire.”</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> he thought to himself before showing off just what the suit could do...well with the limitations of being inside the lab.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Mild mannered intern me doesn’t have the same strength as I do in the suit...though I have been hitting the gym a bit when I’m not on patrol not that anyone has noticed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve noticed,” Huey spoke with a smile as he entered the room another box in hand as he placed it down and flashed the older man a smile, “Say...could you take me next time maybe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenton moved his eyes between the kid and his mother who had seemed to have knelt down on her good knee and began to run a hand through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you been bullied?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To which the young boy let out a lingering laugh before finishing with the words, “Not today no...I just thought going to the gym with Fenton could help me get closer to unlocking one of the vast many physical fitness  junior woodchuck badges.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Respect,” Della said before Fenton shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You knew I would kid however you have to be sixteen to gain entry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sixteen to gain entry to where  intern?” Gyro asked as he now entered the room everyone had been in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Young Huey was just showing interest in possibly joining a gym.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Junior Woodchuck Badge,” Huey and Della seemed to say at the same time, cracking up as the trio soon watched as Gyro picked up one of Della’s jackets and shook his head. “Just how many leather jackets did you bring with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All of them,” Della teased placing a kiss on Gyro’s cheek making Fenton wish that he could find someone to make him light up the way that his boss lit up every time his fiance seemed to walk into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t wait to carry you across the threshold in a few months making this place really ours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenton watched as the couple stole another kiss wishing that one day he’d find his own person who made him feel the way that Della had made Gyro feel… not that he’d been a stone cold ice king like Doctor Gearloose seemed to be upon first impression but he just wanted someone to put a smile on his face, to make each day a new adventure, and most certainly to not just want to be with him because of Gizmoduck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to talk to Fenton about something,” Gyro’s voice soon could be heard speaking to Della causing the other duck to raise his brow wondering just what it could be about...especially as he used his actual name for once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few moments soon passed by in slow motion until the moment that Gyro and Fenton had managed to make their way into the garage lab.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was going to give some big wordy speech but let me just cut to the chase…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re firing me aren’t you Doctor Gearloose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now why would I do a thing like that to you Fenton. You are a hard worker even when assigned to the tedious and mundane task of organizing my schedule. No, I wanted to promote you from intern to lab assistant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was definitely NOT something that Fenton had seen coming when he had offered to help that day and if it were physically possible for ones jaw to hit the floor then his would be tasting the cold hard cement right about now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctor Gearloose I’m flattered I really am, so what would being a lab assistant even entail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything is the same except I will now dignify you by calling you your actual name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take it,” Fenton said holding out his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>
    
  </b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I drew some inspiration from "They Put a Moonlander on the Earth" so if you haven't seen that episode yet spoiler warning</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>It had only been a fortnight since Penumbra and her fellow Moonlanders had been stranded on earth and it had been just shy of a fortnight since she had been trying to build a ship to return to the moon. She had assumed that whether Lunaris succeeded in his takeover or failed like he had that she would have taken at least a small group of her people back to Tranquility however instead here she was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stupid Gravity,” she muttered to herself as the sound of a tool falling crashed down from the rafter she’d been working on to the floor a ways below.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful you could have taken someone's eye out,” Della replied from below causing the moonlander to smile. Della was the only thing keeping her sane about her whole situation as she’d grown fond of the duck who had called Tranquility her home for the past few years for better or worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I wanted to incapacitate someone's retinas, believe me, I know where to aim.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She listened to Della as she let out a slight chuckle clearly knowing that it was the truth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So...this is just like old times...except instead of me fixing my rocket and plotting my escape it’s you.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Some time ago on the moon…</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Penumbra had stood in the distance as she watched Della begin to rebuild her ship.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what do you miss most about earth?” She asked with a curious gaze as she took a step closer to the outsider before handing her a tool.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Thanks,” Della replied. Penumbra watched as the duck began to work some more on her project before stopping to take a seat in a more relaxed position. “What I miss most...well that’s a loaded question. I know I should say that what I miss the most is my family but what I want to say is warm showers.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As Della let out a laugh, Penumbra just tilted her head. She didn’t know what a shower was and what was so special about a warm one however she did like it when she saw her companion smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, tell me more about your family, you said you had some small Della’s.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Three Boys, they hadn’t hatched yet when I left however sometimes I like to pass the time trying to imagine what they are like.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I bet they have your smile.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’d like to think at least one of them has their fathers know it all smirk.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Nodding Penumbra handed Della a tool that she needed thinking that if she had ever met the earth male who had stolen Della’s heart she’d have to compliment him on his craftsmanship as she’d seen the initial blueprints for the ship that was in the process of being rebuilt and they were impressive. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Why the rush to leave so soon anyway Pen? The other Moonlanders seem to be settling in..I hear Gibus even has a job. Granted it’s with Glomgold who will eat him alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cannibalism!” she exclaimed climbing down off the rafter to stand toe to toe with her friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An expression.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would never get used to earth speak she thought to herself as she let out a sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back on Tranquility I had a purpose, I was a warrior, a leader...but here…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re one of my best friends, here to help me celebrate what is sure to be the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! Well, in the past decade at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only for Della would she agree to go out for this ‘girls day’ whatever that entailed though it wouldn’t be her first time leaving the confines of the garage where she’d been hunkered down for the better part of the last two weeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did go out once, for Earth Coffee.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making a face of disgust as she thought about the ordeal wondering if that was how all earth outings were like and if so she really wasn’t looking forward to the afternoon even if it would make her friend smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And,” Della spoke, her eyes lighting up with a sense of eagerness and excitement at just the thought that she had stepped out of the garage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was horrible...so BITTER, why do you earthlings like it so much?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it you didn’t add cream and sugar to it?” Della said with a simple shake of her head making her now realize that was why Launchpad had poured many many many packets of a white powdery substance into his mug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penumbra shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Negative, instead I slammed the mug down and stormed out. Little Della popped her head in later that day saying something about going viral whatever that meant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching as Della pulled out a device she had she had learnt was called a phone, Penumbra watched as her friend began to type in a few things before her beak soon opened up to a shocked expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That bad huh?” Penumbra asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU WENT ON A DATE WITH LAUNCHPAD!!!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He asked me out for coffee and I thought I’d try to at least make an effort and….no wonder why he’s been acting strange--er then usual around me the past few days. He probably thinks I hate him after storming off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penumbra shook her head not knowing that at the moment Launchpad had been making his way toward the garage, pausing when he heard the duo conversing about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, he comes on a bit...strong...but if I WERE to remain here on earth for a while he’d make an adequate companion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a companion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could just see the visions of double dates dancing in Della’s head and she hated to burst her bubble but she knew she had no choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not interested in earth males,” Penumbra spoke matter of factly waiting to see what Della’s reaction to that confession would be. Would Della realize that she was harboring a pathetic one sided crush that would never be reciprocated beyond a platonic level? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure Launchpad will understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do understand,” Launchpad replied as he moved into the room letting out a slight sigh, “Relieved actually. I’ve never had a bad date before and so when you stormed off I just thought you really REALLY didn’t like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penumbra shook her head before removing her helmet, a sign that she was letting her guard down if only ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As far as earth males go you’re an okay guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Launchpad shrugged back his shoulders proudly before running a hand through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should have a do over sometimes...as friends...maybe burgers?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll think about it,” she replied as she watched as Launchpad began to leave the room before turning on his heels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I almost forgot, Della, I got you something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penumbra decided to let them have their moment as she climbed back up toward the rafter though she supposed that she wasn’t going to continue to work but instead listened in to the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A mixtape,” Della said with a surprising look, “I didn’t think people made these anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. But I drove Dewey to a music shop in St. Canard last week and we got to talking about your old mix tapes and all the years of music that you missed and we thought making you a new mixtape would be something fun and retro and….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love it,” Della replied, tilting herself on her toes and giving him a quick hug before he actually did head out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s sweet on you too I see,” Penumbra called down from the rafter when she had been sure that Launchpad had left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re old friends, honestly he’s practically another brother to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penumbra nodded thinking that while there was a sparkle in the way that Launchpad looked at Della that was NOT there when Donald looked at her nothing came close to the way it looked whenever her friend laid eyes on that...chicken of hers. Speaking of sparkle it was in that moment that another being had entered the room. The ibis had an ethereal glow about her with her flowing white dress and delicate features. She watched Della and the ibis gave one another air kisses on the cheek before taking one another's hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I missed you so much!” the Ibis spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve missed you more.” Della replied as they then embraced. Once they pulled back Della turned toward her with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Penumbra this is Selene, goddess of the moon, Selene this is Penumbra my bestie when I was living on the moon...I’m so glad that you’ve finally met. The three of us are going to be such good friends I can already tell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penumbra nodded her head in agreement however at the same time she doubted that she’d ever be friends with someone so...so..bubbly.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AN: So I’ve never actually been to the spa so...creative writers liberty,  also another character pops up in an interesting way (PS I inquired on Tumblr to see if there was a canon/fanon name for this character before he eventually becomes..well spoilers for my plot twist--the name I am using is accreted to tumblr user zuriscribbles), also also the flashback has some PG-13 themes again so I figured I’d give another fair warning</p><p> </p><p>--</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Selene couldn’t help but smile brightly as she entered the garage and spotted Della, a smile crossing her bill. She had been pleasantly surprised to see her friend banging down her door a couple weeks ago pleading for sanctuary and relieved that whatever danger that had befallen her had passed leading them to this moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holding out her hand as Della had introduced her new friend, Selene waited for her handshake to be reciprocated instead she just watched as the other being eyed her up and down and so she had done the same. Finally placing her hand back down to her side she thought that this Penumbra was going to be a tough nut to crack however if Della saw something in her then she must be special.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It still feels so surreal that your back Della.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been almost three months and it still honestly feels like a dream,” Della agreed, “Anyway, I’m glad you could come here Selene, not that I wouldn’t mind a visit to Ithaquack on less dire circumstances.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene nodded her head thinking about how she didn’t mind one bit as she enjoyed mixing and mingling with the mortals even if Zeus discouraged it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning toward Penumbra once more, Selene couldn’t help but flash her an excited look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to love earth spas,” she spoke as the alien nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Della did say something about a mud bath that seemed rather intriguing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene let out a long satisfying sigh about an hour later as she sat immersed in the mud. She had been having a great time hanging out with Della and as the moments seemed to pass it seemed as if Penumbra had begun to let down some of her walls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, I’m sure you have some stories to tell about Della.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene couldn’t help but nod her head. She had met the young duck and her twin when they’d been fourteen years old and they’d been thick as thieves ever since. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well she’s an excellent sparring partner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me something I don’t know,” Penumbra replied causing a slight flush to cross Della’s cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, whenever the two of us would get together with Della’s cousin things got pretty interesting...speaking of, have you talked to Glads since coming back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Briefly, he and Fethry came to our rescue when Goldie, the kids and myself were trapped on an island roughly two weeks ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene simply nodded her head as Penumbra curled her mouth into a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was the one who kept getting preoccupied with $20 bills before conveniently distracting Lunaris so that your family could….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded as Selene clapped her hands together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so you want a story...I’ve got a story from the last birthday I spent with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...no...no…”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>June 2004:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene stood beside her friend in the driveway of McDuck Manor, a smile crossing the </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>Ibis’s</em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em> face.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I see you went with the little black dress...always a classic.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched as her friend gave a little twirl before letting out a slight chuckle.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s a shame Gearloose  couldn’t make it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>At the mention of the scientist, she observed the slight flush on her friend's cheek.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“He’s working on some scientific breakthrough and even if he wasn’t, he’s not really a social butterfly.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene simply nodded wishing that her friend wouldn’t be so stubborn about her feelings however before she could say more a pink limousine pulled up the drive.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Pink! Seriously!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You only turn twenty one once,” Gladstone said with a smile as he peeked his head out the sunroof, “You have to make a statement.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene watched as Della rolled her eyes at her cousin before the two girls climbed into the car where they were soon handed glasses of champagne.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“To your first ‘legal’ drink Dells Bells,” Gladstone spoke with a wink and a smirk before the trio clinked glasses with one another before drinking the bubbly liquid down.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That was real good,” Della replied as she began to pour another glass.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Only top shelf for my favorite cousin.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Just make sure to pace yourself, you're not a goddess like me or lucky enough never to get hungover like him.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene watched as Della acknowledged her warning, deciding against the second glass as they made their way across the bridge to St. Canard.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She couldn’t help but watch Della's face light up when the bouncer looked at her ID and waved at the trio in proud that she’d reached this life achievement as they entered.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The club itself was an interesting blend of swanky yet seedy which was to be expected as while her time on earth was on a limited basis the goddess had heard rumors that the place had tied to the local mafia and the way Gladstone began to work the room was making her question just what kinds of people her friend associated with. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Looks like Gladstone decided to abandon us peasants to work the room.” Della said as Selene shook her head draping an arm around her friend.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Who needs him, there are some free stools at the bar, lets order a couple of cosmos and celebrate on our own.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della nodded her head as the duo soon made their way towards the bar to order their drinks.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As their cocktails soon arrived, Selene raised her glass a smile on her bill.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“To the birthday girl, here is to a year...to a life of many adventures.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’ll drink that.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene watched as her friend took a sip of her drink before reaching across the bar to pay the bartender as they had only planned for the one drink and to not rack up a tab. However just as soon as her friend's hand hit the bartop another hand seemed to grab her wrist from behind.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Your money’s no good here dollface.” a male voice soon spoke causing Selene to turn toward the score of the voice. Standing behind them was a rooster, early to mid twenties. He’d been well built with some slight bruises around his eye and beak which she really couldn’t tell if it made him look more mysterious or waved a bunch of red flags.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Dollface, seriously, this isn’t some film noir in my uncle’s collection.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Still,” the rooster said turning toward the bartender, “Whatever these ladies want tonight is on my tab...consider it a birthday present.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene watched the way that he winked at Della as well as the way her friend seemed to be eating the attention up.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“As you wish Mr. Rhodes,” the bartender said as the rooster took a seat on the now vacated stool besides her friend.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well since it’s on your tab Mr. Rhodes another round of cosmo’s please,” Selene said with a bright smile as a second round of drinks was placed in front of them moments later however in the time that it took for the order to arrive her friend was already eagerly chatting the rooster up. His name was Hugo Rhodes, a rising star of the St. Canard boxing scene. He was charming in a bad boy kind of way...not the type of mortal she’d see herself pursuing but if Della’s body language was any indication who knew what could happen. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della had managed to drink down a third mixed drink and Selene could tell that her friend had been approaching her limit, if not already reached it. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let’s go somewhere private,” she had heard the rooster say, however before a slightly tipsy Della could respond Gladstone finally seemed to make an appearance.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“My cousin is not going to be the next notch in your belt Hugo.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That’s her choice to make.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene could feel her heart begin to race however as Della flung herself into Gladstone’s arms a weight lifted off her shoulders.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trio headed out of the mud soon after Selene had shared with Penumbra the story about Della’s 21st. She wondered whatever happened to that rooster and made a mental note to ask Gladstone some day to see if he knew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they had all been washed up and redressed she watched as Della stood arms crossed looking toward the moonlander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, did you enjoy yourself Pen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I actually did. The mud was in fact refreshing and the company wasn’t too bad either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flashed a smile toward Selene that was quickly reciprocated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you know what, I think I’m going to stay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ibis couldn’t help but beam at hearing this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw a few jumpsuits when we came in that I’m sure you’d rock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m not staying to play dress up, I was going to head back to the manor and see if little Della or green Della were around to teach me more about that texting thing...but I think I’m going to at least stick around until your wedding and then reevaluate the situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene watched as Della threw her arms around her friend with a scream of delight meanwhile she had already been paying mind to some of the clothes on the shelves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s going to be hard on you picking a maid of honor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really, Gladstone and I made a pact promising to be one anothers best person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And on that note….” Penumbra spoke up before giving the duo a wave and heading back toward the manor. How she was going to get there Selene had not clue and she wasn’t going to ask instead she held up a dress for Della to try on before looking at a few things that she had fancied herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assume when Penumbra said little Della and green Della she meant Webby and Louie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still can’t believe you’re a mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some days I can’t believe it either, especially because they are already almost teenagers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene could sense a look of sadness in Della’s eyes as her friend was clearly thinking about all the time she had missed raising her boys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you ever thought of having another one...one that you could have the full motherhood experience with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her friend shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if Gyro would want another kid, though honestly I wouldn’t mind a little girl…” as her friend spoke she had stepped out of the fitting room giving a playful twirl, “...Matilda Marie Gearloose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That has a nice ring to it.” Selene said with a smile as she looked over toward the dress Della had been wearing. It was a brown retro style dress with a solid halter style top and a flared out skirt perfect for dancing with white polka dots, “Anyway, that’s the dress for you and this…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene smiled as she held up a dress that had a blush tulle skirt and a black top to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...is the one for me.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>When I loosely outlined major plot points I wanted for this piece at the start of hiatus  I had always planned for Della to properly meet Drake in this universe shortly after Moonvasion (early June) and then the big Goss introduction to occur around July 4th ..... THEN LETS GET DANGEROUS was announced!!!!!.... It will be interesting to see how much of my original plan will stick and how much will be altered</p><p>Thanks for reading and see you all on the other side</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Della stepped off the hydrolater with Selene a few hours later all dressed up from their recent trip to the spa and boutique.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Fenton,” she spoke with a smile as her fiancé’s lab assistant looked up from what he was working on, flashing her a smile as he gave her a once over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WOW!” he spoke as she noticed a slight flush peaking through his dark feathers. “You clean up… Doctor Gearloose is a lucky one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving a playful twirl Della couldn’t help but nod her head as she watched the younger duck squirm a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the lucky one,” she spoke with a smile stepping further into the lab, “Though don’t tell him I said that, it’s your job as his assistant to keep his ego in check.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenton couldn’t help but chuckle at her comment before nodding in agreement, his eyes still trained on Selene filled with a look of wonderment and intrigue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, where is Gyro anyway? He does remember that we agreed to meet here and not our place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He stepped out to pick up a birthday gift for you, speaking of…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as Fenton crossed the room before picking up a small gift bag from his work station.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And before you say I didn’t have to get you anything know I wanted to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking the bag and pushing the tissue paper aside in the moment she soon revealed a leather bound book with the initials DG embossed on its front. A smile crossing her bill at the sight of her once and future ‘married initials’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For journaling or sketching out blueprints for a new aircraft safe from Launchpad’s crash happiness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at that jab at her friends expence before giving Fenton a friendly shoulder squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love it,” she replied as she let go  and began to cross the room to place the book on a bookshelf for safe keeping. Eyeing a book called ‘The Great Outdoors For Dummies.’ she could feel her heart melt a bit thinking about just how dedicated a father Gyro had been to Huey in the time she’d been gone. Her thoughts were broken however as Fenton’s voice spoke up again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So…” he said, eyes looking back toward the Ibis who’d been standing silently across the room acting as a passive observer to the moment. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gently slapping her face with her hand, Della thought of how rude it must of made her look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, sorry,” she spoke in an apologetic tone crossing the lab once more until she had stood between the scientist and goddess. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fenton, this is Selene one of my oldest and dearest friends...Selene, this is Gyro’s lab assistant Fenton.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but watch as her friend reached out to take Selena’s hand, giving it a quick kiss before looking back up to gaze into her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Selene, that’s a pretty name...like the moon goddess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Ibis couldn’t help but let out a melodic laugh at his comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One and the same,” Selene spoke as the look on Fenton’s face in the moment was priceless as he looked over toward Della.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your life is more colorful than I thought, best friends with a goddess!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to give me any special treatment, think of me as just a girl standing in front of a boy…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...asking him to love her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della and Selene gave Fenton a look causing him to blush some more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della looked at the way Fenton was still looking at Selene as she shrugged her shoulders back as an idea popped in her head, the bulb that had been resting in her hand in the moment lighting up simply added an effect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two should come with, we can make it a party, I mean Sel is already dressed for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely NOT!” Selene said, “you and your doctor deserve this much needed date night. But if Fenton wishes he can escort me back to your place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would be an honor and a pleasure, just let me pack up my work space and we can be on our way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but turn to Selene and let out a small squeal of delight. Sure it was a slippery slope for her friend to get involved too deeply with a mortal but she couldn’t help but think the two of them would be so cute together and who knew...maybe Zeus would be swayed if he found out about Fenton’s not so secret identity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While tonight was all about her and her fiancé she couldn’t help but have visions of double dates dance around in her head once more like she had when she thought Launchpad and Penny would have been a nice couple. Those thoughts were soon put on pause as the hydrator opened up and her heart began to flutter once more as the doctor entered his lab. He was all dressed up himself in a dark blue suit and red bow tie, his hair having slightly less product in it then he’d been using as of late allowing for his natural curls to shine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a deep sigh, Della couldn’t help but think of the first time that the two of them met.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>March 2000:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The Guest House had always been a place of solace for Della, especially when Donald wanted to practice his music. It wasn’t normal that the place was occupied,  usually only being used if one of her uncles contemporaries or a member of their distant  family had come to call.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>At sixteen, Della was a girl on a mission and that mission was to design and build her own airplane by the time she turned eighteen sure it was ambitious but nothing could stop Della Duck when she put her mind to things. She was hard at work sketching when a sound shook her from her concentration.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s just an old house, it’s settling.” she thought to herself when suddenly she heard voices.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s not much compared to the main house lad…” she heard her Uncle Scrooge speak before hearing another, much younger, male voice begin to speak.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s more than enough, you don’t have to give me room and board.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Nonsense, I will not have the head of my scientific division living in a motel or worse living on the street.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I promise I won’t overstay my welcome, I’ll find an apartment and…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della realized she was spotted as she looked over toward her uncle and the man he’d been with. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Could she even call him a man? He was a boy about her age, a bit of a beanpole with kind eyes and a messy mop of curls.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What are ye doing here lass?” Scrooge asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Drafting.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched as her uncle turned to the boy, a proud smile crossing his bill. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“My niece Della here is a bit of an engineer herself.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are you now?” The boy asked as he looked over toward the open notebook resting on the table. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched the way he raised his brow, judging her before finally breaking the tension.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Impressive…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Go on say it… for a girl.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I was going to say for an amateur.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“AMATEUR!! You’re what sixteen like me?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes, but I received my masters at the age of  thirteen and just came off of having a prestigious internship.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Watching as he held out his hand the chicken flashed her a smirk that silently said I am better than you before speaking up again.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m Gyro Gearloose , remember that name because I’m going to change the world some day.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della nodded thinking in the moment while his ambitions were lofty she didn’t doubt them one bit.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“For you,” Gyro said, handing her a bouquet of Blue and Ivory roses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled at the bouquet thinking about how roses were her birth flower and the meanings behind the colors he’d chosen thinking about how much thought must have gone into this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are lovely,” she said as she gave the flowers a quick sniff before beginning to lean in for a hug. Gyro stepped back however with a shake of his head before reaching into the interior pocket of his jacket soon pulling out a box causing her to slowly shake her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know… but like your Aunt Goldie says </span>
  <em>
    <span>never commit your heart unless there’s jewelry </span>
  </em>
  <span>and besides I missed a few birthdays.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she opened up the box to reveal a pearl necklace she couldn’t help but smile. Sure, aside from her ring she wasn’t a big jewelry person however pearl was her birthstone and it was a classic statement piece that could go with anything including what she had on. Motioning for Gyro to clasp the necklace around her neck it was then that she noticed Fenton who had been all packed and ready to leave still standing across the room with Selene taking photos of the couple with his phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They look so adorable Don't they,” Della could hear Selene whisper, “I wish I could have something like that someday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenton’s cheeks flushed a bit, Della noticed but she wasn’t going to say anything as soon Selene linked her arms with the other duck and began to head out of the lab, Della and Gyro close behind </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>They had decided to hold their date at a quaint wine bar in Downtown Duckburg where during the weekends they were known for their music. It was a Sunday night and an in house jazz band was hitting the stage and a fair amount of tables were removed to make way for a dance floor. While she’d been the one to initially suggest dancing, thinking about the museum gala a lifetime ago where she was pleasantly surprised by Gyro’s waltzing prowess she was beginning to second guess herself as her eyes drifted subtly toward her prostatitis. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Follow my lead,” Gyro spoke as he gently cupped her chin with his palm before flashing her a reassuring smile. Nodding, Della took his hand as the next song began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was like second nature moving around the bar in her fiancé’s arms as if they were the only two people there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They weren’t the only two there however as proven by the fact that she could feel the gaze of a duck dressed in a purple dress shirt looking at them from over a glass of Pinot. Normally she would just ignore a thing like that however there was something about him that gave her a stinging sensation of deja vu though where she’d seen him before she just couldn’t place. One of those faces she guessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to take a brief intermission but we will be back soon,” the pianist of the jazz ensemble spoke as the music stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to get us some hydration,” Gyro spoke soon after placing a peck on her forehead making her wonder if her love language had in fact been physical contact after all and not words of affirmation as she had initially thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As her fiancé walked away, Della watched as the mystery man from across the room soon got up and began to head into her direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Della Duck?” He spoke in a tone that sounded as if he were asking a question as she simply nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A mutual friend of ours told me that you’d be here tonight and so I thought I’d introduce myself and perhaps throw a business proposal your way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If said friend knew I’d be here I’m sure he also knew that I’d be here on a date night for my birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as the man shook his head clearly not up on that detail as she shared it with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He might have missed that detail, to be honest he was just so excited at the prospect of the two of us meeting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you know my name but I seem to be at a disadvantage as I don’t know yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man simply nodded as he held out his hand with a wide grin crossing his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Drake Mallard.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>If someone told Drake Mallard two years ago that he’d be taking on the role of Darkwing Duck for real he would have laughed in their face. Sure, he had success in a string of Pep ads, extra work on CSI: Mouseton, and had rave reviews for his turn as Billy Flynn in a St. Canard community theater production of Chicago however none of those credits had helped with the goal he had set for himself when he’d gotten into the business, the goal to capture a role that would be as inspiring to others as Darkwing had been to him. But then, one night shortly after coming off his longest role yet well… his life slowly began to take a turn... </span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>June 2017:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake hadn’t planned on engaging in any Daytime Emmy festivities this year until he took a peek online to look at the winners and saw that after eighteen consecutive years of being nominated, Morgana Macawber had finally ‘broken the curse’ as the headlines were saying and won Best Lead Actress. During his five year stint on the popular daytime drama“The Wise and the Wicked” his character had played the quirky personal assistant to Morgana’s corporate mogul...at one point his character had even been chem tested as potential love interest to her estranged daughter… before the writers decided to go in another direction and have a serial killer slash him instead. He knew he had to be there for Morgana, after all he was certain that her character's reaction to his character's death was part of what was on her reel submitted to the voting commission in the first place. Luckily he had a suit pressed and ready to go in the back of his closet… off the rack but still it would get the job done.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>--</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Entering the after party, Drake easily blended into the crowd seemingly unnoticed as he nursed a glass of champagne until a female voice broke him out of his spell.</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Drakie you came,” the voice of Morgana spoke from behind him causing him to turn around, greeted by an air kiss on his cheeks. Flashing a smile toward the gothic beauty who dazzled in red and was holding her prized statuette like a badge of honor he couldn’t help but smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“When I heard that you won I just had to come congratulate you in person Morgs.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Flashing him a smile back, Morgana placed her free gloved hand on his shoulder.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know I couldn’t have done it without you kid.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake could sense his cheeks flushing a bit as he shook his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Nonsense, you are a legend.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Legend makes me sound so...so old.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake bit his bill hoping that he hadn’t offended the diva however he was relieved when instead she let out a slight chuckle.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, what have you been up to in the past four months, any prospects?” </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Morgana had been a bit of a mentor to him when he had first joined the daytime community and so he was touched that she cared about his future trajectory.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, I managed to snag a few auditions during pilot season but no dice. I did get a lead to act out a ‘dramatization’ in the advertisement for some ambulance chaser of a lawyer that I may jump on.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Morgana simply shook her head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That’s beneath you Drakie and you know it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake simply shook his shoulders.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s a job.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She flashed him a sympathetic look.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m sure if I were in your shoes I’d be scooping up whatever I could manage.. but what if I told you I’ve got a tip on a casting call that could very well change your life.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’d say, there is no harm in telling me.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well,” Morgana said as she began to usher Drake toward a more intimate corner of the room, “Don’t say you heard it from be but </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>Alister Boorswan is casting for his new super secret project.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“A Film audition...you really think that I have the chops to be on the silver screen?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a lingering pause making Drake wonder if his former coworker was second guessing herself in even suggesting that he audition for a film, that was until she began to speak once more.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t tell anyone that you heard it from me but he’s planning a reboot of that Darkwing Duck show that you’re a huge fan of.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake began to wordlessly open his mouth as Morgana soon continued to talk.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh, don’t deny being a fan of Darkwing, I’ve seen all the paraphernalia that was in your dressing room, plus myself and others around the set think that you look strikingly similar to a young Jim Starling.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You really think so!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I know so,” Morgana said as she gave Drake Alister’s card, “At least send him a headshot.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>After tossing the idea around in his head, Drake had sent his headshot to Boorswan’s people and had instantly landed the role of a lifetime as Darkwing Duck. For a year and a half he had the pleasure of helping bring his childhood hero to life however original actor Jim Starling had other plans. While the film was scraped, fellow Darkwing Duck superfan Launchpad McQuack suggested that instead of him searching for a role to inspire the little guy to why not be Darkwing in REAL LIFE</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And that was what had brought him to this moment, at a Duckburg wine bar, trying to enlist the service of Della Duck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what is this business proposal,” Della’s voice rang out as she crossed her arms over her chest raising a brow out of curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Launchpad said…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as she held up a hand signaling for him to stop speaking for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Launchpad is the mutual friend? NOW I know why you looked so familiar to me! It was YOU, you were the friend of his that he brought on to assist in fighting Lunaris! The one who was taking the art of cosplaying WAY too seriously.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if Gizmoduck could do it,” Drake muttered under his breath as he observed another man slide onto the stool besides Della sliding her a glass of wine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If Gizmoduck could do what?” Gyro asked with a raised brow. Drake had done his research and he had known that it had been Doctor Gearloose who had ‘created’ Gizmoduck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctor Gearloose, it is an honor no a privilege to meet you, I’m Drake Mallard and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wants to be Darkwing Duck in real life,” Della spoke with a smile before taking a sip of her drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well...you are aware that Gizmoduck’s armor is a highly advanced piece of machinery and Darkwing is a fictional character right?” Gyro clapped back in a deadpan tone before taking his own sip of wine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a sudden and awkward pause in the conversation as Drake soon wondered if he had just made a fool of himself for taking Launchpad’s advice in trying to recruit the mechanic however soon the female duck’s voice spoke once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I honestly like your passion...so, what did Launchpad want you to ask me about? Does he want me to build you a functional replica of the Thunderquack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually I was able to salvage one of the vehicle's from the set and LP has assured me that he can get it in working order. But he did tell me that you have a bachelors in mechanical engineering and could be an assist to me when it comes to other forms of tech.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another moment of silence as he watched the couple look toward one another soon speaking in whispered tones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to be one of those controlling partners....you were looking for a project...a little bit of friendly competition never hurt….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had managed to catch the broken conversation that Gearloose had spoken before finally the couple pulled apart from their close conversation as Della smiled toward him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Prove to me that you’re the real deal,” Della said with her arms crossed over her chest, “I left with the kids before the real action started against the Moonlanders so let me see you in action as Darkwing and then I’ll decide if your worth my time and talent or if Launchpad is just wearing his fanboy goggles a bit too tightly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Drake listened to Della’s proposal thinking that it was a reasonable request and one that he would gladly oblige to in fact just the thought of it was giving him a sudden high of serotonin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friday Night…. You, me, Launchpad, stakeout?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Della once more looked toward her partner as while he had said he wasn’t the controlling type it seemed that just the same she wanted an approval by him to assure that she was doing the right thing. The chicken simply shrugged, taking another sip of his drink before Della soon turned back to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s Get Dangerous,” she spoke with a smirk before taking his phone and entering her contact information. This was a good sign.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>more insight on Launchpad's Darkwing Duck fanfiction... yes please <br/>thanks for all the kudos, favorites and reviews and as always thanks in general for going on this crazy ride with me....</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Friday afternoon found Launchpad waiting outside the Gearloose brownstone rocking back and forth on his heels a wide smile crossing his bill. He couldn’t believe this was happening, he was going on an honest to goodness Darkwing Duck stakeout this was what dreams were made of!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door soon opened as he watched as Della exited holding her hand out for him to hand her the limo keys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, you’re dressed normal too, I was wondering if I should have dressed in all black to look more stealth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look great,” he said, lowering his voice as he handed her the keys, “Delphine would be envious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could see a slight flush to her cheeks as he mentioned the original character he had created in his Darkwing Dark fan work that had been loosely inspired by her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does Drake know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad couldn’t help but smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Three weeks ago:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad watched as his friend was still slightly rattled from fighting against the moon, the realization beginning to settle in that he’d actually become his childhood hero.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hey DW,” Launchpad spoke with a smile as he crossed the room to sit besides his new friend on the couch.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I still can’t get used to hearing you call me that LP,” Drake said with a smile back as he took the battered notebook that had been handed to him with a raised brow, “anyway what is this.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s my personal continuation of Darkwing Duck, I’ve been working on this off and on since I was thirteen…after defeating the nefarious Negaduck, Darkwing teams up with a dashing pilot named Thorn and a scrappy orphan named Lennon and they become an adventure family.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as Drake opened up the book and began to read. He hoped that his companion liked where his mind had gone through the years especially as he was just as big of a super fan and was planning on becoming Darkwing himself. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, I take it Thorn is a personal self insert?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad couldn't help but shrug back his shoulders.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Guilty.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And Lennon and Delphine? A sibling and girlfriend perhaps?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence as Launchpad dropped his jaw in shock...how could he...was he that transparent.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lennon is based on my younger sister Loopy, though in real life she is only eleven months younger than me and has no interest in Darkwing.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Reaching for a framed photo on the shelf he flashed Drake a photo of a blonde teen. Clearly this was an old photo but he could get the gist.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And Delphine, well, she’s based on an older woman I had a schoolboy crush on.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as Drake curled his bill into a mischievous grin.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let me guess, babysitter? Cause I’ve been there done that reaped the embarrassment.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Launchpad shook his head allowing for a chuckle to escape his lips as he carefully took the notebook back.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Mr.McD’s niece actually, my parents were her flight instructors.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Delphine… Della...makes sense.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“She’s the total package...beauty...brains…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Pausing for a moment he soon had an epiphany.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You should totally have her help you out with some of your tech.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You think she’d go for it?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Of course, she was late to the game but she was totally into Darkwing.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>The drive to St. Canard was rather smoothe, perhaps he’d ask Della to give him driving lessons some day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon they had reached the address that his friend had given him the last time that he had stopped by.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you have the right place, Launchpad, it looks kind of ominous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so, I mean how many abandoned towers are there in St. Canard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then light seemed to fill the room a cloud of purple smoke soon following.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am the terror that flaps in the night…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s just me and Della.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad heard Drake or rather Darkwing let out a slight sigh as the smoke soon cleared allowing for him to get a full look. It never got old seeing his friend dressed as Darkwing outside the confines of a set. It simply gave him chills. He watched now as Della began circling the hero like a shark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t get much of a good look before as I was too busy thinking about stopping Lunaris but great attention to detail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad watched as the purple clad bird’s bill curled into a grin clearly glad that his friend had approved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now to see if you have substance as well as style.” Della commented as she dragged her hand teasingly across the hero’s cape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Darkwing’s  grin got bigger as he gave Della a slight nod before adjusting the fedora on his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, LET'S GET DANGEROUS!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad couldn’t help but get a bit giddy as his friend said the line...the realness of it all like he thought before just never got old.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>—-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had driven to an alleyway adjacent to St. Canard’s downtown district as they had felt would be the center of crime. An hour had passed and not a peep on the police scanner that they kept on them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So much for getting dangerous,” Della spoke letting out a sigh as she shrugged back her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I forget to mention that the city’s new mayor has made it her mission to dethrone the reign of organized crime?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then she should be pleased that Darkwing Duck is on the prowl.” Launchpad spoke as his friend simply shook his head and had been about to say something however Della’s voice soon cut in….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beagle Boy...three o’clock."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that Darkwing soon sprang to action in a swirl of purple smoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gizmoduck’s loss is Darkwing’s gain, huh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad didn’t hear her comment however as he watched the action play out on the street singing the Darkwing Duck theme song in a low whisper, Della reluctantly getting into it singing along with him as the cops soon arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad couldn’t tell from a distance if the bobcat’s animated body language had been praising his friend or accusing him of overstepping but he wasn’t led off in handcuffs alongside the criminal canine so that was a plus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took almost another hour before the cops fled the scene allowing Darkwing to return to where Launchpad and Della were waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was AWESOME!!” Launchpad said as His friend flashed him a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I KNOW right!” Darkwing spoke with the same spark in his eyes as he turned toward Della, “hopefully enough AWESOME for you to say yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YES!” Della replied, “also, I may or may not have already spent the past few days doing some sketches and now that I’ve seen your </span>
  <em>
    <span>secret lair </span>
  </em>
  <span>I think I have some good ideas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad and Darkwing both smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s my girl</span>
  </em>
  <span> the pilot silently thought to himself hoping he wasn’t flushing as he watched the engineer light up like the sun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it’s okay with you do you think that I could get a friend to help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Penny?” Launchpad mouthed as Della mouthed a ‘no’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your fiancé?” Darkwing asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His lab assistant actually,” she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Darkwing agreed to this proposal, Launchpad couldn’t help but glare at Della shaking his head thinking about the various scenarios that could happen if Fenton were involved in </span>
  <em>
    <span>team dangerous </span>
  </em>
  <span>. On the one hand if Drake found out Fenton was really Gizmoduck it could he catastrophic however on the other hand it could be the greatest crossover ever!!!!</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>for those asking.... yes the cop was Bonkers because why the heck not</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AN: Back when I made the earliest outlines way back in May (with just the knowledge Goss was to be introduced at some point in the season and no formal announcement of Let's Get Dangerous) I had always intended to formally have Drake and Della meet and then do a bit of a gap between that and Goss showing up...and then Foreverglades aired and I was inspired to have some fun…. </p><p> </p><p>Also with my flashback the Warwren’s is an attempt at a bird-pun of the real life paranormal investigators the Warren’s </p><p> </p><p>Anyway Thanks for all the Reviews, Kudos, and Likes…. </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been half a year since Goldie had been on a proper adventure… the time she spent on that island and the moon battle she walked in on when coming home didn’t count.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, there was a slight charm to the quasi domestic life she led as Mrs. McDuck… devoted mother, wife, and patron of the arts however she had NOT gone soft. She knew that Scrooge had been keeping a journal the past twelve years, maybe longer of all the treasures and mysteries he had wanted to unearth. His</span>
  <em>
    <span> missing mysteries</span>
  </em>
  <span> he referred to this bucket list of a dossier as and it was one of the items on the list that had awaited them. What had brought the latest family adventure on… well…</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Three Days Ago:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Goldie had been standing in Downtown Duckburg for the monthly farmers market watching as Webby and her two friends were eagerly browsing the various local businesses eagerly ready to sell their wares.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh look, there is a used book seller Vi,” she heard her daughter happily chirp as she flashed a smile to the young hummingbird.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Do you think perhaps they would have anything on the Warwren’s and their paranormal investigations?” The petite purple feathered bird asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Goldie would of thought that Don’s foster daughter, Lena would of been the one with the interest in the macabre being that she was the niece of that literal witch Magica DeSpell however one of Violet’s fathers, Indigo Saberwing had taught lectures on the supernatural at Duckburg University and so while Violet looked all sweet and innocent it kind of tracked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched Webby shrug her shoulders back saying how it didn’t hurt to ask before the two girls skipped off after gaining her approval of course however Lena had still remained. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Not a bookworm like your friends?” Goldie asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched as Lena shrugged back her shoulders shaking her head as she began to eyeball the wares of one of the booths.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m more street smart than book smart,” the pink haired girl admitted as she tugged at the sleeves of her top anxiously, “and besides, I was kind of hoping to find some bric-a-brac to put my own personal touch to Donald’s place.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Watching as Lena picked up a frame made out of heavy rope giving it a nautical vibe, Goldie soon remembered that her and Scrooge’s fifth anniversary was coming up. Sure most of the items that had adorned their home had been relics of adventures past or McDuck family heirlooms but perhaps she could find some aesthetically pleasing wood frames to create a family photo gallery in his study. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Picking up a cherry wood frame with obviously plated gold accents she began to study it to see if she felt something when suddenly a voice broke her from her thoughts.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So what can I do for you and your granddaughter.” The dog running the booth asked clearly, flipping a switch in her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>GRANDDAUGHTER!!! Okay sure, technically she was over 100 years old but she prided herself in being able to pass for someone decades younger. Were her roots showing she wondered silently to herself as she slammed down the frame cracking the glass slightly as she did so before storming off toward the book vendor.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Keep the change,” she heard Lena say before the other girl finally caught up not that she had put much distance between them and besides,Lena has youth on her side.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Girls! We need to go...family emergency.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Uncle Gyro’s tech?” Webby asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Someone called me OLD.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Goldie watched as Violet began to open her beak however Webby had been quick to cover it before anything.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>—</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Entering the manor, Goldie breezed past Beakley before making her way toward Scrooge’s office.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What do you think about an anniversary trip to Florida Scroogie.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ahhh the Fabled Fountain of Youth.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Just think of the possibilities.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>And think they did as Goldie had employed her niece to fly them to the Sunshine State which is now where they had been. She kind of wished Della had stayed but apparently the younger duck had some new job back in St.Canard that she wasn’t able to disclose telling the family to text for her or Launchpad when they were ready to take their return trip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so with that Goldie, Scrooge, the Triplets and Webby were now standing in front of a pink and white building that upon first glance looked like some tacky tourist hot spot...The Conquistador Inn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome,” said a Lion who had seemed very energetic as he greeted the family. Goldie took note at the way his eyes seemed to linger on the tweens before talking up about how this place was on top of many lists for resorts off the beaten path and a hot spot for the college crowd. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Goldie looked over toward the pool area she was surprised to see a good amount of rambunctious 20 somethings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Youth is wasted on the young,” Scrooge said, going off about how he never had a childhood as he was already hard at work earning his fortune. Curling her bill into a smile as her husband talked she couldn’t help but think about some of their earlier meetings...clearly he did have the mind to take some time out for more pleasurable activities. Those were the days for sure.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Taking a moment to assess the pool area some more the family made their way toward their adjoining rooms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Five Star my foot,” Goldie grumbled under her breath as she looked around the hotel room.  “Sure, I have been in worse lodging situations though this definitely isn’t the Ritz.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, at least it has a balcony eh,” Scrooge spoke, trying to break the tension as their son began to unbutton his over shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which if you need me that’s where I’ll be,” Louie spoke pointing toward the balcony, “I mean unless this place has a business center.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie watched her husband shake his head causing the green clad boy to shrug before making himself comfortable outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then there were three,” she muttered as Webby’s voice soon filled the air.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t wait to see you guys in action…. Team McDuck on the case to unearth one of dad's many missing mysteries.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching as Scrooge now ruffled the girls hair Goldie couldn’t help but smile. Webby was everything she’d always imagined her and Scrooge’s child would have been, though she supposed if genetics were involved she’d of had golden blonde hair and a slight trace of her father’s accent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning now to the triplet dressed in red who was pulling out a book from his satchel she crossed her arms over her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So kiddo, what does your book say about the swamps of Florida?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched her young nephew thumb feverishly through his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook, a book that had been more gospel to him then the Bible itself since she’d known him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well there is a numbered list of ways to escape an alligator attack…. I can text you a photo of the page if you’d like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You're not joining us, lad?” Scrooge asked the boy with a raised brow however Huey shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Florida’s weather is a fascinating thing,” the boy replied as he began to pull a few tools from out of his suitcase, I’m planning to use this experience to earn my meteorology badge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nerd,” Dewey said though his comment didn’t phase the other boy, “but seriously Hue...you can do weather experiments anytime but summer is one of the rare moments we aren’t held down by the chains of truancy laws and can go out in the world and explore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I take it that you're joining us?” Webby asked her cousin a wide grin crossing her beak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well being in Florida I’d prefer a day of riding coasters in Orlando…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That makes two of us,” Louie chimed in from the balcony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But yea, let’s Dew this!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held out a hand toward his aunt and Goldie couldn’t help but chuckle as she indulged him in a fist bump.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Branch...Branch...Branch…” Webby muttered cautiously as they made their way into the jungle esque swampland. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know how long the family had been searching fifteen minutes, thirty, an hour but man it was hot!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wiping her forehead with the bandana that had been tied on her wrist Goldie let out a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can you tell the difference between the humidity and hot flashes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, how CAN you tell…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey watched as three pairs of eyes gazed at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that wasn’t a joke.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did we decide to come to a Florida swap in the heat of summer again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Branch...Branch…because that dog back at the market thought you were Lena’s granny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that was also a rhetorical question lass.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie watched as Scrooge took a brief pause to massage an aching muscle or joint as she began to adjust a crick in her own neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our little spitfire isn’t wrong though Scroogie,” Goldie said with a smile once more thinking about what finding the fountain could do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Hydration break?” Dewey suggested taking her from her thoughts as the trio around them nodded causing the tween to open up his bag pulling out a bottle of purple liquid and handing it toward Webby and then another that he handed to Scrooge who scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that monstrosity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pep makes sports drinks now.” Dewey said with a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s really good for replenishing electrolytes dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Electrolytes...bah...how about some good old fashioned H2O?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two kids looked at one another as Goldie shook her head. She had just taken a long swig of water from her canteen before holding it out toward her husband. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take some of mine, I “borrowed” if from the cooler behind the manager's desk and it’s still cold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not borrowing Aunt Goldie if you can’t return it afterwards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s what the air quotes were for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie chuckled at her young nephew as he gave his cousin a playful salute and soon the party was on their way again.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Branch...Branch...Br…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nerp… it’s moving Webbs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Snake!”Goldie heard the two younger ducks warn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe if we cross this brook?” Webby asked already halfway through a rock bridge before getting her parents' consent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie watched with relief as her daughter safely made it across, her nephew close behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now it had been her husband’s turn however the tip of his cane got wedged between two stones causing his footing to get a bit shaky. With lightning fast reflexes or well, reflexes that were moderately swiffer for a woman of her age she had managed to toss her supplies across to the kids before jumping in just as Scrooge was beginning to fall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle Scrooge!” Dewey spoke, pulling the older duck out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom!” Webby soon also called doing the same for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As her daughter pulled her safety to shore however Goldie could sense something was different. For starters her hair wasn’t tied back into its usual ponytail and instead was falling wildly down covering her face. Reaching to pull it away she couldn’t help but notice it felt softer as if it hadn’t been damaged by decades of dye jobs and speaking of dye jobs it kind of looked like it had an added sheen to it. Standing up she was pleasantly surprised not to feel any pain however she had noticed that her clothes had fit a bit looser and had the kids gotten a head taller or had she gotten a head shorter? It was then that she turned around and her heart seemed to flutter and she could feel her cheeks begin to flush as she had spotted her husband brushing his bangs away from his eyes a devilish grin crossing his lips and his own flush crossing his cheeks as he gazed upon her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Golide?” his voice spoke causing her to nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scroogie?” she simply replied as he ran up to her scooping her into a hug and giving her a twirl of excitement before placing her back on the ground and giving her forehead a quick peck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were lost in their own little word sizing one another up like one would do if you’d gone from being a centenarian to a twenty year old in the blink of an eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lets see someone call you a grandmother now huh?” Webby’s voice spoke out snapping her out of the moment as she looked toward the kids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you kidding, they probably could pass more as your cool older siblings then your parents,” Dewey replied as he pulled out his phone taking a few photos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a good thing I’ve always wanted a sister!” Webby and Goldie both exclaimed together before erupting in a wave of giggles before Goldie looked up toward her husband again with a spark in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose that the brook feeds the fountain, so it stands to reason if we follow the brook we’ll find the fountain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excellent deduction there…’Glittering Goldie’” Scrooge spoke his voice falling into a bit of a flirtatious tone as he said her name causing her to flush again as she ran her hands through her hair.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>And they were soon off again, following the brook in the hopes of finding the fountain. Sure, they didn’t need to be any younger than they were in this moment but there was no way of knowing how long these changes would last...and besides she was sure that Beakly would appreciate a chance to shave off a few years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was all smiles watching in the way that the children were now having a hard time keeping up with them for once and feeling the way that her heart fluttered each time Scrooge’s fingers would brush against hers as they ran next to one another. Finally they reached a clearing covered in vines and beyond that… the fountain….this time it was her that had enveloped Scrooge in a hug and had been about to pull him into a long and lingering kiss when her husband brushed away from her as he began to peer into the fountain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Curse me kilts, someone or something has drained the water.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldie turned to move toward her husband's side. How, Why, Who….Okay, sure there were other archaeologists out there so there shouldn’t of been a shock that someone else had the fountain on their rayday but she would of thought they would of recorded it...then again...she was sure that if there HAD been water in the well that she and Scrooge would keep it for themselves...at least for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we can at least have some fun while it lasts,” Goldie spoke with a smirk as Scrooge gently gave her hand a squeeze another glint in his eyes clearly thinking the same wicked thoughts that had begun to creep into her head the moment that she’d seen the man in a younger visage. The sounds of panting broke her from her more perverse thoughts however as she turned to see the kids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glad to see you can make it,” Scrooge replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby gave a thumbs up before turning to Dewey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have another bottle of sports drink?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey shook his head as Goldie noticed the canteen still hanging from her belt tossing it to the other girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here Webbs take this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Webby normally had good reflexes, she hadn’t been able to catch the canteen and instead it fell on the ground a small amount of water splashing onto one of the weeds which suddenly began to transform into a flower drawing the gaze of four pairs of eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you see…” Dewey said as Webby nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you got the water from behind the managers desk right.” Scrooge spoke as Goldie nodded now noticing the tubes that had most surely siphoned the water from the fountain a thought coming into her mind that she really didn’t like thinking as it sent a feeling of dread into the pit of her stomach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if he’s not a descendant of Ponce de Leon like it said on the brochure but it’s actually him?” Goldie replied back that sickening dreadful feeling getting even more severe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Kids!” the duo spoke at the same time hoping that their son and nephew were out of harm's way back at the hotel.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The Last Chapter was just...and Florida isn’t done yet…I hope you enjoy my game changing twist in the end and some of the twists I have coming…</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Louie had been enjoying his moment of solitude...soaking up the sun...skimming through the magazines he’d packed with him...and not having to deal with his family's brand of fun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh he wondered if his parents thought him as a black sheep not having the same wanderlust as Webby did when adventure was concerned. </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>September 2018:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie definitely preferred the business side of his family legacy and at eleven he had a good grasp of the goings on. On that particular fall afternoon he’d been making his way toward the bin for a visit when he spotted a familiar pink haired figure standing near the building as he approached.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lena...” he said as he ran his hand through his hair with a nervous smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Afternoon Pennybags,” she replied with a smirk back, “so...is it take your son to work day?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That was back in April,” he spoke wondering how much of a nerd he sounded like in knowing the month of such an insignificant holiday, “ I’m surprised you're not with Webby by the way.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Pink and I aren’t joined at the hip,” Lena responded almost defensively, “that being said, I decided to take a stroll and found myself in front of the bin, it’s quite impressive.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Louie nodded thinking that if it wasn’t his family legacy the building could look quite intimidating.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You want to come in and I can give you a tour? That is if you're not busy.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Sure, he was just a kid but his parents and Beakley had thought he and his brothers were mature for their ages and while he doubted he’d even begin thinking about actual relationships and dating for another couple years it did no harm to turn up the charm where the girl was concerned.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are you allowed to bring strangers into Scrooge’s inner sanctum?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You're not a stranger, you are a friend and besides the highly top secret corners of the place I’m locked out from….you’d think dad being one of the oldest ducks in the world his passwords for everything would be 1234 but they aren’t.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Lena let out a chuckle while unbeknownst at the time to Louie she had been taking his invitation as a means to further the mission that Magica had put her on.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>He had lost track of how long he’d been lying out on the balcony but in the moment he began to feel his stomach grumbling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What time was it anyway,”  he wondered to himself as he placed his button up back on over his tank, wincing at the slight sunburn he had acquired from his sunbathing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting his eyes wander around the room he let out a slight sigh at the lack of a room service menu or mini bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Looks like I’ll have to go exploring,” he said once more to himself as he pocketed the key and made his way back down toward the lobby area in the hopes that the resort had some kind of restaurant or snack bar or a recommendation of a good spot to order pizza.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Once he made his way down towards the pool area however Louie couldn’t help but raise his brow a bit at the scene. There stood Huey standing on one side of the pool doing whatever science-y  thing he had been doing meanwhile on the other side of the pool was a line of senior citizens grabbing food from a buffet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I miss something while I was in the room?” he asked, forgetting for the moment about his empty stomach as he sat in a lounge chair beside his cousin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey simply shrugged as Louie pointed to the older guests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a common stereotype that old people are early birds when it comes to dinner,” the red clad duck said matter of factly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the younger guests?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably having some beach blanket blowout with surfing and limbo contests….oh and a bonfire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie watched as Huey let out a slight sigh as he began to ramble . The boy had clearly been a fan of those classic beach party movies of the 1960s and it showed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I take it the rest of the family isn’t back yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that I’m aware of, then again I’ve been preoccupied with the fact that today is the ONE day in June that Florida has declared a dry spell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can fix that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a smirk, Louie  got off the chair and made his way toward the vacant pool stopping to pick up a small pail along the way. Scooping up some water from the pool he proceeded to dump it on Huey’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, that’s not funny,” Huey said with a strange cadence to his vocal chords as he began to dry off with a nearby towel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me make it up to you by ordering Pizza? I don’t think the mashed potatoes and prune juice they are serving at the buffet is even edible and I don’t see any other food options on the….premises”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie let his voice trail off as he watched as Huey placed his towel down at least he assumed it was Huey as where his twelve year old cousin slash triplet once was now stood a boy of if he had to guess eighteen . He was tall but definitely not lanky judging from the way that his red polo hugged his muscular yet toned upper body. If this was indeed a glimpse of the future then all those hours outdoors orienteering definitely did the boys body good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you staring at?” Huey asked, grabbing his throat, “Why do I sound like this and why do you seem so much shorter than me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Turn your phone to selfie mode.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie watched as the other boy did as instructed and continued to watch as his beak curled in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“LLEWELLYN MCDUCK WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t do anything to you man, at least I don’t think I did…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once more his voice began to trail off a bit as his eyes began to gaze around their surroundings… the lack of coeds splashing about, the sudden influx of senior citizens, the pail of pool water lying on the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a few deep breaths trying not to panic as he tried making sense as to what was going on. While the rest of his family was on the quest for the fountain of youth was the pool some kind of reverse fountain?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s the pool,” Louie said, not realizing the manager had been standing behind him within a distance enough to eavesdrop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The pool?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should totally toss a pail of water over my head to test this hypothesis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie had hoped talking in science terms would engage the other boys' impulses after all if he were eighteen he could take possession of all his stocks and gloat to Doofus about his self earned assets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that is a good idea.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want to be older.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In that moment Louie felt a paw clasp his shoulder. Looking back he had seen the manager of the establishment giving him a glare and did he look a bit younger?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that can be arranged,” the Lion spoke in a devious tone, his motives soon clicking in the boy's head. Oh my god, he was totally sucking the literal lives out of his patrons to gain their youth wasn’t he?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lion began to take a few steps toward the pool when suddenly the frantic footsteps of a few people arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unhand him you lecherous lout.” Scrooge spoke calling the two boys to glare at the young man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad?” Louie asked as the young man nodded his head causing him to blink in disbelief before turning toward where a young blonde woman was standing between Dewey and Webby. He had heard Glittering Goldie was a looker in her prime and seeing her younger visage in person blew all the stories he heard out of the water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huey?” Webby asked as the red clad teen nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Crazy huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d say yes but my parents being barely legal to drink overshadows your accelerated puberty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ENOUGH!” The Lion said clearly unimpressed with the little family reunion especially one that had seemed to have blown his operation out of the water. He had taken a few more steps toward the ledge of the pool.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Youth really is wasted on the young ain’t it?” He spoke just before pushing Louie into the pool. A bucket of this water poured over Huey’s head had aged him six years and the college students who had been splashing about earlier had aged sixty...he knew his fate would be the latter as his whole life and all its lost potential began to flash before his eyes. He had planned to pass the High School equivalency exam by seventeen, get a degree in business and become CEO of McDuck Enterprises by twenty one, join the billionaires club by thirty but alas time was literally slipping away. He was too lost in the moment thinking his fate had been sealed that he didn’t hear the splash that had soon followed or notice another pair of hands trying to wrestle him away from his captor...in fact things just went black.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>He hadn’t known how much time had passed when his eyes soon fluttered open and he found himself lying on a lounge chair. Reaching up he felt his face letting out a sigh of relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not wrinkly,” he said, his voice not weathered with age as he feared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh you were,” Webby said, sitting by her brother's feet, “you were at least in your 70s..Dewey took pictures for posterity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But how am I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twelve again? Mom borrowed some water from the manager's office… turns out he wasn’t just a descendant of DeLeon but was ACTUALLY him! He was using the enchanted water of the pool to suck the youth of his guests and then filter it into water to keep him young.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Huey...the others?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back to normal too… though there is a complication.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DeLeon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He stayed in the water too long and shriveled up into dust.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louie was about to comment about how messed up that sounded when he spotted just what the complication was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There sat his parents...his father still a strapping young man in his twenties while his mother looked like an old woman as while now in her 80s she was still decades younger then she was at start she was without the hair color and injections she’d been accustomed to using to preserve her girlish looks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can make this work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How Scroogie, there isn’t enough water to make me young again and I look like I could be your grandmother heck your great grandmother definitely not your wife.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Listening to his parents exchange an idea began to form in the boys head as he began to see an angle that his parents clearly didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could always meet in the middle? Dad gives up 30 years of his new youthful life to mom… you both end up in your 50’s which is over half a century shaved off from where you started.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge and Goldie looked from their son to one another and couldn’t help but smile.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I always intended that Dewey/Gossalyn would be Elementary School friends from when Dewey lived in St.Canard. My head canon is Gossalyn is a year older then Dewey however since he started school early they were in the same grade.....<br/>This and the next few chapters will be both inspired by Lets Get Dangerous with some fun twists....<br/>Once again thank you for all the kudos and reviews</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Dewey was still wrapping his head around the events that had transpired in Florida with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. De-aging, ageing...and back again he couldn’t wait to tell his father and foster sister all about his adventure. Sure, to most families something like this would be unbelievable but not for his family, and besides he did have some photographic evidence to back things up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making his way down the pier he noticed that the Unchained Melody had been parked in it’s slip causing him to make a split second detour to see if his dad was on board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“HELLO,” Dewey called out counting to ten in his head waiting for a response when he soon saw Lena make his way toward her from the deck waving him to come aboard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that my shirt?” Dewey asked as he made his way on to deck, noting the blue and grey flannel that was tied around the girls waist despite the summer heat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t think you’d mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t...plus I’m sure it looks better on you anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He listened as the girl let out a little chuckle as it was clear she’d been agreeing with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, Lena, you missed out on an adventure of a lifetime!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said that after going off the last time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well it was up until that point technically.” Dewey spoke thinking that the best part of summer vacation was the lack of restraint on adventure and sometimes one blurred into another. “Anyway, where is dad...what happened in Florida was too intense to have to retell twice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“D…” Lena spoke pausing just after the first letter sound clearly not knowing if she was ready to call her guardian of the past two months dad just yet, “..onald is at the bait shop...he should be back soon. In the meantime you have a visitor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey raised his brow as the pink haired girl stated this. A visitor? Who would be visiting him? Sure, he had made a few mild acquaintances in his past two years of attending Duckburg Junior High but none that he could think of that would drop by his dad’s boat in the middle of summer vacation and so he was definitely intrigued as he watched Lena motion for this mystery person to come up on deck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart began to race and his palms got a bit as sweaty as he watched a young duck about a year or two older than him step out of the shadows, her dark feathered hands nervously placed in her pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Shakespeare,” she spoke with a half smile.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>March 2016:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes, I am sure I don’t need your services this weekend...,” an eight year old Dewey spoke in a pitch perfect imitation of his father’s unique voice, “...he’s staying with a friend….yes next week is still on the books...no you have a nice day.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Hanging up the phone he looked over toward his best friend Gosalyn Waddlemeyer who sat cross legged on the floor, a shocked expression on her bill.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, how would you rate my performance?” Dewey asked as he sat down beside her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It was scary good, if I closed my eyes I couldn’t tell the difference.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Why thank you red,” Dewey replied with a slight smirk as he slipped back into his Donald voice before breaking and letting out a slight chuckle, the young red head doing the same.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But seriously will you get in trouble?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Probably,” he admitted, “Though it’s not as if I’m canceling the sitter to throw some kind of rager and I’m leaving a note telling him that I’ll be at your place so maybe it will soften the blow.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Sure, Dewey could have easily called his father up at the marina to ask him in person for permission to spend the night at his friends however he knew that deep down Donald didn’t like him spending too much time at Doctor Waddlemeyer’s place. It wasn’t as if his father disliked Thaddaeus, quite the opposite. He just thought that the more time that Dewey had spent with him in his house and lab, that he would come to resent the fact that he didn’t grow up with his biological father who had been a renowned scientist in his own right. </b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, you do have a way with words Shakespeare,” Gosalyn said as she tossed Dewey a notebook and pen.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Reading my journal again red?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, I figure if it was so private you’d put a lock on it,” she spoke with a shrug.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>She was right, though he supposed that if the time ever came and he reached the cliché point of falling in love with his best friend he’d keep things away from her eyes however stream of conscious thoughts on the stars and the moon and wondering what his mother was like now that was fair game.</b>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was taken back to the present still taking in the fact that the redhead whom he hadn’t seen in just over two years was standing here on his father’s boat on the other side of the Audubon Bay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Red!” He said breaking his silence as he placed his duffle bag on the ground and ran up to her wrapping his arms around her in a friendly embrace however by the way her body language was reacting to the gesture the young boy soon realized that perhaps his friend wasn’t just there for a casual visit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everything okay?” Dewey asked as he took a step back taking in the crestfallen expression that had crossed his friends face as she shook her head. “Is it you? Thaddaeus?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of her grandfather’s name, Dewey could see a tear drip down Gosalyn’s cheek as he reached up to delicately wipe it away with his thumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he?” Dewey asked his breath catching in his throat as he thought of the worst case scenario.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” she whispered before looking toward Lena with a raised brow before turning back toward Dewey. “Anyway it seems as if you replaced me anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking from Gosalyn to Lena and back again, Dewey couldn’t help but let out a slight chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never, you’re irreplaceable...this is Lena my foster sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was now Gosalyn’s turn as she shifted her gaze from her friend to the pink haired teen and back once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Donald Duck raising two teenager, I’d pay to still be living biking distance to be a spectator to that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a brief moment her facial expression shifted to that of amused however it was still clear that there was something bothering her and that something had to do with her grandfather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can leave if you want?” Lena said as Gosalyn simply shrugged back her shoulders thinking that any family of Dewey’s was of value to her which had been the reason for her hopping on a bus and heading to Duckburg in the first place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your call,” Gosalyn spoke with a shrug as Lena made her way below deck leaving the two friends alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After another lingering moment of silence, Dewey turned to his friend with a rare serious gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My grandfather had been working on a project with his partner Tarus Bulba.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey nodded thinking about his biological father's reaction to a recent write up on Bulba in one of his newest scientific publications and the rant Gyro had gone on about how offended he’d been that Scrooge had offered up the labs of his St. Canard facility for the scientist to work out of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So...my grandfather was running some specs and realized a fatal flaw in the mechanism and proceeded to head to the lab to warn his partner...after three days of no contact I began to worry. I called his cell, and called, and called until his inbox was full. I then wondered if I should get the police involved but honestly who would they believe… a renowned scientist or a teenage girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A renowned scientist?” Dewey replied though his voice was inflicted to make it sound like a question as he was unsure of himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly...and that’s why I bought a bus ticket to Duckburg and wandered the marina until I found your dad’s boat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does he know you're here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only Lena did, and she only just found me hiding out this morning...I’ve been stowed away for two days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t think to call me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In my haste I forgot to bring a cell charger….anyway, I was hoping that you could get me in contact with Doctor Gearloose to see if he could get to Bulba and find out what happened to my Grandpa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another moment of silence as Dewey began to process what the other girl had been saying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what makes you think that sending another scientist to challenge Bulba won’t yield the same results? My mom and dad just reunited after over a decade and they are in a good place...they don’t deserve the anguish of possibly being separated again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn simply nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard that your mom was back, was she everything you imagined.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey nodded his head as he thought about Della for a moment, a smile crossing his bill. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything and more….I think she’d really like you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But not if I caused her husband….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fiancé, their marriage was nullified thanks to the whole being declared dead thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fiancé,” Gosalyn spoke amending her words, “To mysteriously vanish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that the redhead shrugged back her shoulders with a sigh as she’d been back to square one. In the meantime Dewey gently bit his bill pensive as thoughts began to swirl in his mind before he had an idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bulba is working at one of my Uncle Scrooge’s facilities….what if Scrooge where to</span>
  <em>
    <span> ‘check in on his investment</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ and what if Scrooge were to bring Huey who can be inquisitive to a fault when it comes to subjects of interest and I’m sure whatever project that Bulba and your Grandfather was working on would be a subject of interest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d say...I think you're on to something….so where do I come in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I think for now you stay the night then take a bus back to St. Canard in the morning and then lay low until you hear from me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t like the idea of laying low, but I trust you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise, we won’t back down until we find out what happened to your grandfather.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome to my four-ish chapter arch loosely inspired by Let's Get Dangerous....before the episode aired it was always my intent that at this point in the timeline I was going to introduce Goss as Dewey's friend and then have an event that caused her to end up in Drake's care over her Grandfather's and then the episode aired and here we are....</p><p>Once again thanks for all the reviews and kudos....</p><p>words of affirmation are my muses life blood</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Huey was pleased when his cousin had come to him suggesting that he interviewed Taurus Bulba for “summer extra credit”. Sure, he had ulterior motives to try to track down the missing grandfather of an old friend but frankly he didn’t mind. Bulba had been known for his breakthroughs in the field of physics and even without the present circumstances he was honored to be able to pick his brain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you can talk some sense into him,” Bradford Buzzard’s voice spoke, taking Huey away from his thoughts as he looked over to where his uncle’s CFO was chatting over a video screen. “There have been some unfortunate accidents with Bulba’s latest project and it’s been costly to clean up his messes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye, you know what they say, no reward is without a little risk,” Scrooge responded with a smile before going on to talk about how if he hadn’t taken any risks he wouldn’t be the man he’d been today meanwhile Bradford’s mention of unfortunate accidents kept ringing in the back of Huey’s mind and he could tell it was ringing in the back of Dewey’s as he mouthed to the other boy, “Thadious,” before turning to Launchpad with a smile. They soon began to talk about how excited Dewey was to interview some friend of Launchpad and his mom who was sure to give his show twenty five or maybe even thirty views. Huey had been totally certain that this friend was Darkwing Duck but he didn’t say as much as Bradford was still tapped into the car's conversation via chat screen and there was just something about the older bird that rubbed him the wrong way.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>March 2019:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey had been en route to his fathers lab in the hopes to grab some photo albums kept there to show his mom all that she had missed when he was met with a long lingering and most uncomfortable glare.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Shouldn’t you be in school,” Bradford said in an annoyed tone.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Teachers conference,” Huey replied back with a shrug as he began to rock back and forth on his feet, “Anyway, shouldn’t you be in the St. Canard office?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The boy watched as the older bird rolled his eyes.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, it was easier to clean up the mess of your mother coming back from the dead in person.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s not a mess, it’s a miracle...and she wasn’t dead, she was trapped on the moon as impossible as it may be.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“As far as the state of Calisota is concerned Della Duck has been dead since 2007 despite where she may or may not have been.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But she’s back now and we can be a family again!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes...yes...a family again until she does something else reckless and impulsive or your father creates another invention that forms a mind of its own and we’re back to square one.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey could feel the famed family rage begin to bubble up inside him in that moment however he was grateful when suddenly Fenton stepped into the room giving the boy a wave.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>The car soon pulled up in front of the St.Canard offices of McDuck Enterprises which wasn’t as imposing as the main bin but still quite impressive in its own right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey and Scrooge headed out of the limo and were soon met by Della.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Launchpad rolled down the window to look toward his friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you were coming with us to see Drake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been reading about Bulba’s work and I’m genuinely impressed and interested to see it in action.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dewey popped his head out from the sunroof and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure Dad and Fenton didn’t ask you to spy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...maybe… but it’s still an ambitious project.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That it is little lady said a booming voice that captured the trio's attention as the limo drove away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did NOT just call me little lady,” Huey watched as his mother took a step toward Bulba giving him a glare. Man if looks could kill…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Taurus Bulba,” Scrooge spoke, taking a step forward and holding out his hand before his niece could cause any damage, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. McDuck, though it seems as if I have offended your niece which was not my intention at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched as the physicist turned to where he and his mother were standing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Della Duck, I am in awe at the way you managed to single handedly escape from the moon, and Hubert Gearloose...first place in the Junior Woodchuck’s Robotics Competition three years running.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey couldn’t help but smile at the fact that someone as prestigious as Taurus Bulba knew about his accolades. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One day you’ll be running a lab and trying to change the world just like me and your father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Counting on it,” Huey replied with a smile as they entered the building and made their way toward the lab. It was a more traditional lab unlike the underwater lab that his father had and he could just smell the science...not that science technically had a smell but still he was eager to see what the man had been working on all the while trying to look for something, anything, that could point to the whereabouts of Thadious Waddlemeyer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let’s see if I’m getting my money's worth on this investment shall we?” Scrooge’s words broke Huey from his thoughts as he watched Bulba perk up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, like I said, my goal is to change the world...so pick any food and I’ll give you a demonstration.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pizza!” Huey and his mother spoke at once causing the boy to smile at just how much they were alike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haggis,” Scrooge had spoken at the same time as he simply shrugged back his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard Haggis,” Bulba said with a wink as Huey rolled his eyes at the way that the bull was clearly trying to impress his boss instead of going with majority rules. Huey watched intensely as the bull crossed the room toward his machine as he began to twist and turn a few dials before suddenly a beam of light filled the air and suddenly haggis appeared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was unbelievable...HOW could he make something out of nothing. If something was too good to be true statistically there must be something wrong about it and that was probably what Waddlemeyer figured out before...no...he didn’t want to think about it in the moment and just wanted to focus on the WOW….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Care for a taste?” Bulba asked, “to prove that it’s the real deal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t mind if I do,” Scrooge said, taking a slice and making a face filled with satisfaction. This caused his mother to take a bite of her own before spitting it out instantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blech…” she replied, “this tastes like a sweaty gym sock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s how you know the sheep's entrails are extra fresh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched his mother gag once more before looking toward the two older gentlemen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is the nearest restroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey listened as Scrooge gave her directions and watched soon after as his mother bolted out of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her loss lad,” Scrooge replied with a shrug as he took another bite before offering the plate to Huey who shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe one day I’ll be more adventurous with my pallet Uncle Scrooge, but today’s not the day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Scrooge nodded finishing up the haggis with an elated grin, Huey figured now was the perfect time to ask some questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how does this work? I mean getting something to look like food can easily be done with simple 3D printing technologies but to get the texture and I assume taste so precise can’t be an easy feat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your right...it did take lots of time and precision for my partner and I to get things right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor Waddlemeyer right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do your research huh kid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey simply nodded his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately he’s a bit under the weather which is why he isn’t joining us today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Under the weather...so that’s what he is going with Huey thought to himself as he nodded his head and hoped that he had kept a good poker face as the sound of a phone soon began to buzz taking Bulba’s attention off the red clad tween.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to take this, very important...Scrooge, why don’t you give your nephew a tour of the rest of the St. Canard facilities and we can meet up later to talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye, that sounds like an excellent plan.” Scrooge replied as he began to usher Huey out of the room however before he crossed the threshold to leave something caught the corner of his eye that would definitely explain how the sausage or rather haggis was made. Perhaps it wasn’t from nothing after all and if that was the case then the theory of a multiverse could very much be real.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Notes: the Spanish translated means ‘sweet girl’ if it’s wrong blame Google...also yes I looked up THOSE LYRICS (okay puck1919 had to link me them on tumblr because whenever i searched little girl blue it came up with lyrics to a Janis Joplin song of that name) because I love to feel the feels and I’m sure you readers do too… also had to give Bulba that iconic Game of Thrones quote</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gosalyn could see the silhouette of Bulba as well as Dewey’s uncle, mom, and cousin moving from window to window as she crouched in an alleyway behind the McDuck Enterprises building. She had promised Dewey she would lay low and let his cousin ‘talk off Bulba’s ear’ to hopefully get him to talk about what happened to her grandfather however she was tired of laying low and the longer she waited the more she worried that she’d be thrown into the system and she really didn’t want that to happen. Letting out a sigh she took a deep breath and closed her eyes thinking of some happier times.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>October 2015:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gosalyn entered the apartment she lived in with her grandfather and placed her hockey stick against the wall. It was only a practice however she had nailed a hat trick and had been ready to smoke the competition. Letting you the aroma of chocolate fill the air from the kitchen she couldn’t help but let a wide grin cross her bill as she entered the room.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Breakfast for Dinner?” Gosalyn spoke pointing to the chocolate chip pancakes on the stove.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“Happy Birthday dulce niña,” Thaddeus said with a smile as he ruffled his granddaughter’s red curls. </b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gosalyn had begun to wonder if her grandfather had even remembered it had been her tenth birthday as he’d already been hard at work in the lab when she had woken up that morning though she supposed he wanted to get all his work done early so that he could better celebrate with her in the moment.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched as her grandfather stepped away before soon returning with a small wooden box and handing it to her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gosalyn looked at the box with a raised brow before realizing that it was a music box. Turning the key she listened as a familiar tune began to fill the air.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You?” she asked as her grandfather nodded beginning to hum along to the melody before singing along to the words</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Close your eyes, little girl blue.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Inside of you lies a rainbow.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Yellow, Blue, Red, Blue, Purple too, Blue, Purple, and Green, then the Yellow.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>She began to hum the tune to herself however her song was soon interrupted by a loud bang causing a wave of curiosity to wash over her. The recently elected mayor had won on a platform to clean up organized crime so what could possibly be going down in a back alley on a Monday night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cautiously peering around the corner she spotted a man dressed in purple descend from a cloud of purple smoke landing in front of a moving van.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am the terror that flaps in the night…” she heard him say before letting out a slight chuckle. The man must have deemed himself a vigilante of some sort and had clearly mistook the 24 hour moving company for a band of home invaders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amature,” she muttered to herself as she began to watch his pratfalls wishing she had popcorn when suddenly she caught another figure from the corner of her eyes. The sight of a familiar duck dressed in blue perched on the shoulder of a taller bird with one hand holding his phone videotaping the superhero’s actions  while the other was giving a fist pump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously Shakespeare,” she muttered to herself as she began to assess her surroundings. There was a window washing scaffold that she could easily access to boost her way up to Bulba’s office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you can’t get something done right then you have to do it yourself.” Gosalyn spoke with a sigh as the teen began to pull the scaffold up the side of the building hoping that Bulba or anyone who might recognize her as Thaddeus’s granddaughter weren’t standing by any of the windows that she passed. Mentally strategizing, she was soon startled as the weight of the platform began to shift and suddenly the man from the moving truck incident was standing beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The terror that flaps in the night...bla bla bla...I heard you earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you know that I’m a defender of justice, a righter of wrongs…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then help me right the wrong of my grandfather’s disappearance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could tell her words had startled the hero who had thought that she’d been engaging in criminal activity. Okay, sure technically she was planning a criminal act by breaking and entering Bulba’s office but all she wanted was to seek the truth about what happened to her grandfather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A damsel and not a delinquent huh?” he spoke in a questioning tone as he placed a hand on the brim of his fedora.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl supposed the hero was pondering if he wanted to help her on her mission or if he wanted to stop her from doing something that was probably stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly the scaffolding began moving upward thus answering her question.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>They somehow managed to find a window that was open a crack and what was better was that it was in a seemingly empty office space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The duo managed to stealthy enough climb into the dimly lit room and give it a once over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think this is Bulba’s office,” Gosalyn whispered to her current companion as she began to scurry across the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful you don’t want to trip any silent alarms and throw the guy onto our sent, that’s superhero 101 right there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving the man a mock salute she began to fiddle around with the draws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phooey,” she muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Language missy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did NOT just missy me,” Gosalyn replied, shaking her head as the patter of footsteps filled the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s coming,” they both whisper yelled at once as she watched Darkwing squeeze into a file cabinet not questioning the logistics and instead wondering why that wasn’t locked but the desk was as she shimmied her way into an air vent.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“McDuck’s family seemed nice,” she heard Bulba say as another voice began to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are just as loose a canon as the old man...maybe even more so. That niece of his is trouble with a capital T and who knows what Intel she plans to bring back to that mad scientist she’s engaged to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gearloose is too distracted with building his little toys to even think to crack the multiverse theory…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of, we need to think small for now and stick to just manipulating food and other resources and not push the ramrod to its limits causing another unfortunate accident”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is to say what happened was an accident”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From her spot in the vents Gosalyn could feel her heart race as she was sure they were talking about her grandfather and it took all she had not to burst out from her spot and cause a scene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still, we need to reign in the chaos and not create more of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chaos is a ladder Bradford. Many who try to climb it fail, never get to try again. The fall breaks them….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn watched as Bulba soon looked at a screen in his hand that showed him something he clearly wasn’t liking. Had they tripped a silent security device after all she wondered to herself as suddenly he began to laugh in a slightly maniacal fashion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And St. Canard better brace themselves for the chaos that’s about to arrive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence after that as soon the footfalls of Bulba and Bradford soon made their way out of the room and the sound of a door closing signaled the coast was clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who's to say what happened wasn’t an accident! That Villain did something to my grandpa and I want to find out what it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure...sure...but what did he mean by St.Canard better brace itself for the chaos...whatever it is Darkwing Duck is here to save the city.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay so I don’t know if I just can’t write actual action scenes or I was just lazy and didn’t do an episode rewatch to help my muse...regardless enjoy </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Citizens of St. Canard! Those flashes of light you are seeing outside are not your friends and neighbors getting an early start on Independence Day activities in fact all community events planned for tomorrow are canceled. As you might have heard 48 hours ago a portal opened up and brought with it four super villains. St.Canard’s finest as well as Gizmoduck have been fighting non stop however this is a call to action. I haven’t felt the need to make a statement before but I know you're out there and like the theme song states “when there’s trouble you call DW” so help us Darkwing your our only hope.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Darkwing had been pacing around the room as Mayor Owlson’s press conference ended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is not what I signed up for,” he replied in a panicky tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Launchpad said in an excited tone, “it’s Better! Actually putting yourself against THE Fearsome Four! It’s what dreams are made of DW.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della who along with Huey had since found her way to Darkwing Tower shook her head as she placed her hand on Darkwing’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not helping,” she mouthed to her friend as the hero let out a sigh… he had already “faced off against the fearsome four” however in his last bout it was all controlled with stunt work and cgi.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>October 2017:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It had been a whirlwind of four months between screen tests and costume fittings and stunt coordinating but here he was on the first day of principal photography.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“Let me get a good look at you,” Alistair spoke as he stood in the doorway of Drake’s trailer getting a good look at his vision come to life. “Now give me a Let’s Get Dangerous!”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let’s Get Dangerous,” Drake replied with such passion selling the role he was seemingly meant to play.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>“That gave me such Goosebumps,” Alistair spoke, “I can just hear the fan reaction now!”</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake couldn’t help but smile thinking that sure he had a small contingency of fans from the soap circuit however he had been to multiple comic cons and had seen just how fierce some of the fans from more major properties were. He hoped he didn’t disappoint.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, I think...no I know that the first scene we shoot should be a memorable one so I was thinking the fight with Megavolt from the climax of the film's second act should do the trick.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Drake nodded and soon he stepped onto set being met with the sight of a rat dressed exactly like the famed villain of the series.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I was talking to one of the stunt coordinators and they suggested we use silly strings to simulate the electrical currents,” the other actor said with a smile as he pressed a button on a gauntlet on his arm allowing for a burst of the substance to fly out.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Impressive,” Drake said brushing some debris off his sleeve wondering how they would remove it in post as he walked to his mark and action was finally called</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It was a day he would cherish forever and a day that he had hoped would help him in this present moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to do this Darkwing…if we beat them and send them back to where they came then surely we can pull my grandfather back from where he was taken.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who said anything about a we,” Darkwing replied as he raised his brow toward the red headed teen who rolled her eyes back at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Teamwork makes the Dream Work,” Dewey said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best Superhero Team Up Ever!” Launchpad added with glee as Darkwing shrugged. Sure the hero he was emulating was traditionally a lone wolf but his friend had been into something in his stories and perhaps he needed a personal Thorn, Lennon, Delphine, and company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gaining some semblance of composure, Darkwing turned to the others in the room realizing that he couldn’t wallow in self doubt as that would only lead the city to fall further into disarray and what if the villains decided to cross the bridge into Duckburg? Gizmoduck was already in the thick of it and barely holding on from the news footage he’d seen so far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so Quakerjack is most likely hiding out in the abandoned toy factory district so he’ll probably be the easiest to track down,” Darkwing finally said taking charge of the situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not actually a thing is it?” Della asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to St. Canard, Delphine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is Delphine?” Huey asked with a confused expression as his cousin flashed him a smile as it was clear the blue dressed tween was pleased the other boy wasn’t the smartest in the room at least in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There will be plenty of time for you and Goss to read Launchpad’s fan novel once we save the day… in the meantime we should assess our arsenal just like we Dew it playing Legends of Legend Quest.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey simply nodded his head when an excited tone filled the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Found a crossbow with arrows that have your face on them….just like your bike….nepotism much?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I prefer the term authenticity,” Darkwing spoke with a shake of his head as he crossed the room making his way toward his bike. As Shakespeare wrote in As You Like It ‘All The World’s a stage’ and he was about to find his mark and call ‘action’… or more precisely ‘Let’s Get Dangerous’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so when are we going to Dewey this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della crossed the room and placed a hand on her son with a shake of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WE,” aren’t going anywhere, “Darkwing, Launchpad and Gosalyn are going to take to the streets while YOU stay here with me and Huey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you were a fun mom?” Dewey spoke with his arms crossed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can help me run surveillance of the city,” Huey said with a wide grin as he began to tap on the keys of the supercomputer that sat beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I AM FUN!” Della exclaimed, “I just think you would be better off staying here as just in case something were to happen and Darkwing needed backup there you would be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Della turned to Darkwing who along with Launchpad nodded his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother is right kid, you’d be a much better asset if you stayed here at least for the time being.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving Della a slight wink he knew that she was being a good mother, trying to keep her boys from unnecessary harm and he knew that if he had any chance of winning an argument he’d be trying to do the same thing for the teenage girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so was the plan...head to the warehouse to corner Quackerjack and then hope apprehending the others fell into place.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Della let out a frustrated grunt as she looked over at the screen in front of her. She had been beginning to lose track of the hours since Darkwing, Launchpad and Gosalyn had left to track down the villains and while the news reports of their presence had begun to slow down as time ticked by the radio silence from the team was beginning to be worrisome.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn was only a year older than her boys and her maternal instincts were on overdrive in worrying about the teen..she could only imagine how she would be feeling if she had allowed Dewey to join in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clicking around on Darkwing’s supercomputer WANDA, she soon felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Changing of the guard,” Huey spoke, holding out a cup toward his mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been three hours already,” Della spoke with a slight yawn taking the cup from the boy, it was a far cry from starducks but caffeine was caffeine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was able to take a power nap but Dewey is beginning to get restless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded her head before looking back toward her son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So multiverse theory huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve seen my tabs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded as her son shrugged back his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just a hunch… I mean I spotted something out of the corner of my eye that looked like something I saw in a book I borrowed from Fenton and that would explain the logic behind antagonists from a television series that’s been off the air for more than two decades wreaking havoc on the city plus the way Bulba made that haggis apparate from seemingly nowhere…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile simply crossed Della’s face as her son continued to speak as she soon reached out to ruffle the boy's hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are definitely your fathers son.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey smiled at his mothers complement as she let out a slight yawn moving from one son to another.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Della crossed the open space of Darkwing Tower and began to look around for where Dewey had been. Her middle son was quiet...too quiet from the boy she had gotten to know in the past few months.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finally found him humming an all too familiar tune as he was lying looking out a window towards the city.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice night we’re having,” Della said in the hopes to break the ice however from their perch she could see the havoc that the fearsome four had wrecked and she watched as her son’s expression got more sour and sad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m worried about Goss, I could have done more...I should have done more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della looked at the boy. He was a ticking time bomb and at any moment she was sure that he’d unleash the famed family rage out on an innocent pillow or piece of barware.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huey has some theories as to what might have happened to Waddlemeyer,” she said, hoping to ease Dewey’s anxiety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Dewey nodded clearly knowing all about his brother...er...cousin...it was still hard for her to get used to the fact that they weren't raised as brothers even thought it was her wishes that had caused the arrangement in the first place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gosalyn came to Melody…”Dewey soon began to confess however before he was able to say more a sound broke him as well as Della and Huey from what they were doing and thinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flashes of her time with Lunaris began to suddenly dance in Della’s head as she thought the worst. A wave of relief washed over her however as she spotted a familiar tuft of red hair causing her to head down, Dewey on her heels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She practically flung herself into Launchpad’s arms not caring that his shirt was soaked to the bone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was beginning to think something happened to you guys,” Dewey spoke as he had approached Gosalyn giving the girl an embrace of his own, however instead of reciprocating like Launchpad had been to Della she instead brushed it off as she began to cross the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Note to self,” Darkwing said wringing out the water that soaked his fedora before crossing the room to look at what information Huey had up on the monitor at the moment. “On our next patrol bring phone chargers...also bags of rice if the villain’s made of water.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Liquidator?” Della asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Darkwing nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Though we did back Quackerjack into a corner for a while and the police were real close to apprehending him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s when Liquidator showed up,” Launchpad said, “One step forward two steps back but we know what we’re looking for next time DW...we will get the upper hand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now all we have to do is change into dry clothes, dry out and charge our phones and then get right back out there.” Gosalyn spoke with the same adrenolyn induced voice that she used to have when she went out on her earliest adventures with Scrooge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have dry clothes” Launchpad said with a raised brow as he began to wring out what he had on Dewey moving to help him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can go on this mission right? You promised!” The boy said looking at his mother with a pleading look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della didn’t want to tell her son no as he was right she did promise however at the same time she really truly did not want him ‘Getting Dangerous’ with Darkwing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not let the team take a break for a moment before we decide who is going out and what our strategy...I mean you aren’t going to be able to wrangle any villains super or otherwise if you pass out from exhaustion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn pouted from where she sat in the corner rifling through the duffle bag she had been carrying with her that had been filled up with spare cloths from living on the street since her grandfather vanished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out another sigh, Della made her way across the room where Darkwing had been standing besides Huey clearly trying to make heads and tails as to what the boy was researching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, did you give your fiancé a call?” Darkwing asked Della taking her off guard a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I did talk to Fenton.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Hours Ago:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What’s it like out there?” Della asked from her spot.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I really couldn’t say, I’ve been trying to assess how to detangle myself from Bushroots well...roots for the better part of the past few hours.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She thought of how at least Fenton had the Gizmosuit to keep him safe even if he was tangled up at present but Darkwing’s costume and Launchpad and Gosalyn’s civilian clothes had no protective layers whatsoever.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“In the meantime while I’ve been hung up I have managed to…is Scrooge with you?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No, he decided to stay back at the office to keep tabs on his investments.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fenton nodded from where he’d been positioned.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I managed to hack into the McDuck Enterprises security mainframe and managed to track down footage from the night Gosalyn said her grandfather disappeared.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And it doesn’t look good… one minute Waddlemeyer and Bulba are arguing and then the next there is a flash of light that could have been blinding if not on grainy security footage and poof.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Poof…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It was as if Waddlemeyer vanished out of thin air and then the footage just stopped all together.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Curiouser and Curiouser,” Della replied as she began to type on a few keys haphazardly before looking back toward Fenton deciding to lighten the mood with a subject change. “So, have you talked to Selene since my birthday?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della could see Fenton’s cheeks begin to slightly flush at the goddesses name.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“St. Canard is literally burning in areas thanks to MegaVolt and you want to talk about my love life.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Love Life huh...so I take it as a yes then.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No comment.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“When this is all over we are so going on a double date.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I think I’m losing you.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Check back in with me in a few hours”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Poof?” Gosalyn said now sitting around listening as Della had relayed what Fenton had told her about his viewing of the security footage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It further backs up my suspicions,” Huey said, “From what I’ve been able to surmise the Ramrod wasn’t some kind of fancy next generation 3D printer creating something from seemingly nothing. No, everything that’s some out of the machine has been borrowed from another universe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Multiple pairs of eyes soon flashed upon Della’s son causing him to take pause before giving his mother a look as if silently asking if he should go on in his infodumping. Della gave him a silent go ahead and so he continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists. The Ramrod was meant to tap into these universes however Waddlemeyer realized that it was unstable..if overpowered the multiverse would fold in on itself and the world as we know it would cease to exist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“English please?” Dewey asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bulba felt threatened and so he pushed his partner into another universe, perhaps it was the fictional St. Canard of the Darkwing Duck TV Show where he pulled the villains from, perhaps it was another universe all together though the point is that the machine probably has only a few uses left before it goes…..”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey made a hand gesture to simulate an explosion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of lingering silence as Della and those in the room processed Huey’s words in their own ways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Della said looking around at the faces in the room...the self proclaimed Super Hero, her friend, the superfan who deemed himself the sidekick, the young girl who just wanted to find her grandfather, and her two darling boys who she didn’t know what she’d do if they were separated once more. “We find a way to pied piper the fearsome four back to the lab and zap them back into their dimension and then we figure out where Gosalyn’s grandfather is and pull him out and then we destroy the machine before any other harm can be done….ooooh I’m starting to get a second...or maybe third...fourth...yes a fourth wind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It will be easier said than done,” Huey mumbled, however his worrisome voice was overshadowed by his cousin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“LETS DEWEY THIS!!!!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is busy season at my job and that mixed with being in a global pandemic has just caused me to be burnt out…that plus trying to introduce a character who is part of duck-lore but that I personally have little/no connection to aside from assorted tumblr posts + tv tropes &amp; wikipedia entries and now the cancelation on top of that {I mean the writing has been on the wall for a while though I’m cautiously optimistic that at least one EPCOT attraction will survive the Covid nessisatated project cuts and that Frank &amp; Matt have opportunities to play in this sandbox in the future via Disney+ specials/movies like the recent P&amp;F one that dropped}...</p><p>I just want to once again thank my readers for their kudos, reviews, and just being here….I’m about at the halfway point of my initial outline so hopefully my muse doesn’t crap out on me….</p><p>Also Format Note: No Flashback but a Flash Sideways of sorts this chapter….</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Scrooge had wanted to hang back at the office to check in on his employees. His plan had been both to ensure that they remained productive and to show that he genuinely cared for those instrumental in helping him grow and maintain his fortune. His intent had been to spend the day in the office while his niece, nephews, and Launchpad continued to visit their friend however plans unfortunately changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had begun suddenly, he’d been chatting with one of said employees when a scream began to fill the air and suddenly vines began to appear, wrapping around the windows and doors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Curse me kilts,” he thought to himself thinking that sure, he had his share of enemies and had endured various encounters with the supernatural which this must have been however all his valuable and prized possessions were back in his offices and bins in Duckburg...this was strictly just office and laboratory spaces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew not to panic though he also knew he’d be having  a nice meeting with Gyro as well as Quackfaster when he returned home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling out his phone, Scrooge thought that the best thing to do would be to call the family first to see if they were okay on their side of town and then call for help. Unfortunately for him there was no signal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bah,” he exclaimed this time out loud as he looked at his screen. Perhaps he should have caved and purchased a Waddle Phone giving Mark Beaks the satisfaction in seeing the Richest Duck Alive owning one of his products.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cell Jammers,” the young sparrow spoke, shrugging her shoulders back unintimidated that she’d been trapped in a room with the company CEO, among her other normal co-workers. “They were installed by Mr. Buzzard so that we would keep on task and not get distracted… Time Is money after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye lass,” Scrooge said thinking that he had spoken that mantra many a time and while he was sure that in the moment Bradford had meant well in cutting the personal communication channels of their employees for reasons regarding productivity he wished that something...anything...had been taken into consideration in the case of an emergency.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It had been at least a day...maybe more since being trapped in the room. It was hard to tell with the window blocked and even the smartest of smartphones still being a slave to battery limitations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, Scrooge had survived in much worse conditions but with no food, no water, no restroom facilities, he didn’t know how much longer the people he was trapped with would be able to endure and that was when he suddenly eyed an air vent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t I think of this before?” He asked nobody in particular as he began to eye it, pleased that it hadn’t been encased in the vines that had become their prison bars. “Can I have a boost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure you can handle it?” the sparrow chirped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am Scrooge McDuck...tougher than the toughies, smarter than the smarties and sharper than all the sharpies...I can do anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sparrow nodded her head as she positioned a chair to allow for the older man to climb into the vent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck,” she replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While his ego wanted him to reply about how he didn’t need any luck the nerves in the pit of his stomach said otherwise. If he had been barricaded in that office who was to say that the entire city hadn’t been attacked… Huey, Dewey, Della, Launchpad...were they in the line of fire? Or, worse...what if all this was merely a distraction and his wife and kids back in Duckburg were in harm's way... </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>He had managed to maneuver his way through the vents surprisingly not hindered by any of the rooted vines which had imprisoned him in the first place… it was then that he heard voices.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I</span>
  <em>
    <span> told you that this wasn’t a good idea, that Darkwing Duck wannabe actually has some substance to him and is actually fighting back and I’m not even going to mention the destruction of the city.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh I know, I had hoped to take him out quickly so I could snag Waddlemeyer’s little brat.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well, I’m about to do damage control, for your sake I hope it goes swift and painlessly.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bradford?” Scrooge questioned himself wondering why his cfo would have been involved in a conversation like the one he’d just heard. Was the buzzard conspiring against him or just working closely with Bulba?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a brief moment of silence however Bulba was the one to speak the next words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can hear you up there Mr.McDuck, and here I thought you were what was it… sharper then the sharpies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Due to Bulba’s tall and massive stature it was easy for the bull to flip open the vents and pull Scrooge down to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you heard though I’m sure whatever it was it was too much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge went to open his mouth to respond however Bulba continued to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t let any bad press come out about this project you understand. If I look bad you look bad. Waddlemeyer thought my machine was unstable but I showed him...and Bradford I should have gotten rid of him just now when he claimed I was going too far… with you however…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge raised a brow, was Bulba giving some sinister soliloquy? It was then he noticed that the bull was tapping at a few buttons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Taurus, I’m sure we can come up with—-“ his plea was cut off abruptly as a beam of light zapped him from the machine and things went black.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <b>Scrooge opened his eyes to see a blinding white light. Had he finally met his maker? If that was the case it was not in a way that he had suspected to kick the bucket. He soon realized the light was due to him looking up at a daylight sky instead of being in the enclosed lab space he was just moments ago.</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The first thing he noticed was that he had suddenly and  inexplicably been back in Duckburg however something told him this wasn’t his Duckburg.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fully pulling himself upright from the ground, Scrooge managed to make his way toward a park bench where he took a proper seat as he began to try and look for any discrepancies. It was as he’d been trying to observe when the sounds of feet hitting the pavement began to approach from behind.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What are you doing out here papa?” the voice of a young female spoke.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You have me mistaken for someone else lass I’m not your papa.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Scrooge soon turned to the source of the voice and if he weren’t in a seated position he would have clearly frozen in his tracks by the pair of emerald green eyes gazing back at him. The resemblance was uncanny… sure the girl in question was taller and her golden locks fell just below her shoulders but aside from that she looked just as his wife had in those brief moments back in Florida when they regressed into their twenties.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Your Scrooge McDuck, hardly a person one would be confused in recognizing especially when it’s his own granddaughter.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>If he had a drink this would be the moment he’d spit it out. GRANDDAUGHTER! Was this girl mad? Okay sure he supposed wherever that blasted machine sent him could have very well of been the future however this girl was practically mini Goldie and neither of his children shared her DNA.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Granddaughter?” Scrooge finally mustered up a word and that’s what it was. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It was clear that in this world his friends, family, and assorted other loved ones had their share of the bizarre and so instead of the girl questioning his confusion she simply nodded her head clearly assuming he was from somewhere else as she held out her hand.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Dickie Duck, at your service.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And you're my granddaughter how exactly?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of pause as the girl motioned to sit besides Scrooge. As the man nodded he waved for the girl to sit beside him on the bench he’d been inhabiting.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well you and Grams have had many torrid affairs.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Scrooge nodded his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And ‘Grams’ would be Goldie O’Gilt?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She nodded back causing him to chuckle a bit at the thought of her actually being a grandmother.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“After a particular night of passion, she found out she was with egg and left not wanting to tie you down and not wanting to be tied down herself. It was an open adoption...she would come and go from mom's life taking on the role of godmother until one day all that changed. Mom found herself with an egg of her own… me… but there were complications. In her dying words she asked Goldie to take care of me never knowing the truth.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Scrooge could feel his heart ache a bit in hearing the girls tale while thinking about all the unconventional twists and turns of his family back in his world...like being the father to his great nephew for starters.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“We had a good life in New Stork City…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Had?” Scrooge suddenly said, wondering if Goldie had met a grimm fate here.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, I mean I’m here in Duckburg now...had to do a research paper on you when I was sixteen and that's when I found out we were related. I promised I wouldn’t track you down until I turned eighteen and then I enrolled in school here and the rest as they say…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“History?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Aye…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was another moment of silence as he watched the way that Dickie eyed him over some more.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, from another dimension...definitely cracks the top five strangest things to happen in my life.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>A part of Scrooge almost wanted to ask what the other four things were however in the moment there were more pressing matters to discuss.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Does the name Thadious Waddlemeyer ring any bells?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a pause.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No, should I?” she asked with a raised brow, “Was he the person who sent you here? Were you hoping to track him down to hopefully send you back before you caused a rift in the multiverse?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“He was a physicist who assisted in building the machine that sent me here, however he too got sent...into the ether and I was hoping that he might have landed here.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as Dickie once more shook her head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“The only scientists I know are my ex roommate Gyro Gearloose and his reclusive boss Professor Von Drake whom I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>At those names being dropped, Scrooge bit his bill slightly trying to process all the differences this world potentially held. Von Drake Alive, Gyro being his granddaughter’s former roommate instead of the father of his nieces children.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I assume they both have counterparts in your world judging by your expression.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Scrooge nodded.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s strange hearing VonDrake’s name in present tense as in my world he’s been gone for some time. Gyro on the other hand is practically family. He’s my niece’s fiance and father of her boys.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Dickie’s curious gaze soon turned into hysterical laughing.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m sorry...I’m sorry… it’s just hard to picture my Gyro being a father especially to the triple terrors...and being involved with that flake Dumbella...seriously he can do so much better...no offence.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>From Dickie’s reaction he thought that this world had been strange indeed. He wanted to tell her that in his world Huey, Dewey and Louie were extraordinary preteens on the verge of becoming brilliant young men in their own rights and Della while impulsive certainly wasn’t a flake however it was then that he spotted a faint beacon of light forming a few feet away in the spot where he landed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>‘Perhaps…’ he thought to himself standing up and holding a finger up as he began to move toward the light.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What are you doing papa...Scrooge?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Finding a way home…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Scrooge soon began to come toward the light holding his breath….there is no place like home...he thought to himself as he felt the energy of the force field dance against his feathers not knowing then that somebody had followed him through the proverbial looking glass.</b>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Uncle Scrooge?” Huey exclaimed as he felt the coolness of the laboratory floor below him, “What are you doing here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a long story lad, but what are you doing here? What is happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DW found a way to lore the villains back here to the lab.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a team effort,” Darkwing spoke with a wink toward the young redhead who had been standing in a corner with Dewey whispering something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was amazing,” Della said, “I know we’ve fought mystical beings in the past but this just gave me such a rush, I can see why Darkwing and Gizmoduck have made a career out of super heroism.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think your fiance would approve of this career change?” Scrooge asked, keeping things cool despite the ramrod sparking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della simply shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Idon’tknow,” she said so fast it came out as one word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you tracked his signature yet,” Gosalyn asked, moving toward where Huey had been frantically looking at the control panel of the machine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought I did...but then Uncle Scrooge showed up and then…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey pointed to the sparking machine a crestfallen look on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My calculations said that that the machine had three more uses before implosion...one must have sent Scrooge into the multiverse, one returned the fearsome four and the third brought Scrooge back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tear crept down the young girl's cheek. It was clear to Scrooge that she was holding back a scream however instead she managed to turn her gaze from the boy in red who had an apologetic look on his face to the boy in blue who nodded to him and then to their mother who had against all odds made her way back to her family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Lo siento mucho abuelo,” Gosalyn spoke in between her cries as she managed to grab a crossbow and shot an arrow toward the machine effectively putting an end to the sparking and the hopes that her grandfather would return anytime in the near future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that Scrooge watched as the girl fell to her knees and out of instinct he wanted to approach her however Della and Drake had beat her to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing Can Stop Della Duck,” Della replied, “And I have a feeling that Nothing Can Stop Gosalyn Waddlemeyer either. We’ll find your grandfather.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And in the meantime, I could use a partner in fighting crime, that is if you’d let me be your guardian?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“THAT won’t be necessary,” Bulba said entering the room to assess the damage, Mayor Owlson and members of the St. Canard PD by her side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how do you suppose to raise her from prison?” Owlson asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have friends in high places...I’ll make bail.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There won’t be an option for bail Mr.Bulba.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call me Taurus...or Terry...we’re all friends here right? Anyway, Waddlemeyer getting zapped was purely accidental and there are few who have cracked the algorithm to move between universes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m sure you can share with us the algorithm from your cell..who knows maybe it will lighten your sentence….”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Scrooge watched as Owlson and the officer escorted Bulba out moments later letting out a sigh as he looked onto the scene in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della and Darkwing had still been comforting the poor girl while Launchpad and Dewey were chatting in a corner about their ‘totally awesome adventure’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um..Uncle Scrooge,” Huey’s voice soon spoke, breaking the family patriarch out from his moment of silent observance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes lad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as the boy pointed to a figure cloaked in shadow behind the ramrod’s wreckage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have company,” Huey’s voice said as Scrooge made his way over to the girl who had an expression of confusion crossing her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa…” Dickie spoke in a nervous tone as she stepped out of the shadows wrapping her arms around a shocked Scrooge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa?” Huey asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Long story lad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’d like to hear you talk your way out of it…” Bradford said as he stepped into the room with a shake of his head, “I don’t know how you got yourself into this mess, bringing this girl here from whatever dimension Bulba tossed you into but I’m through cleaning up for you. The sticky heat of summer may be lingering in the air but winter is coming Mr.McDuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Bradford left the room a chill ran down Scrooge’s spine as in the back of his mind he wondered just what his CFO had up his sleeve but more importantly just how he was going to explain to his wife that he had brought home her grandchild from another dimension.</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that’s it...this concludes my Lets Get Dangerous Arch… I hope you enjoyed this and my introduction to Dickie… if you have questions, comments, suggestions as to where you might like to see her head/voice actor headcanon ideas feel free to drop me a note...feedback feeds the muse</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, so for those of you familiar with the comic-verse please tell me if I’m doing justice to Dickie and if not please give me constructive criticism…i'm just feeling my ambition got the better of me and I put myself in a corner hence the long wait between updates….</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just breathe,” Della’s voice spoke from the backseat as Dickie looked out the limo window toward McDuck Manor. It was just so surreal, she was back in Duckburg but it wasn’t her Duckburg!</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Hours Earlier:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>That angry buzzard had just left the room and there she was standing there, all eyes on her as her own eyes fell to the wreckage of whatever device brought her there in the first place.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>She recognized Scrooge obviously as they had just met when he had seemingly been zapped into HER world however as far as the other six figures?</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She assumed that the young boys were two thirds of the ‘triple terrors’ though they were three years older and not dressed alike. She was about to ask where the third one was however the boy dressed in red, Huey if their color coding was the same took a step forward.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Who are you and why do you look eerily like my aunt Goldie?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Time Travel?” The boy in blue...Dewey spoke up from where he’d been seated beside the red headed teen girl who had been sitting sadly on the ground.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“She is dressed too modern for that,” Huey replied, “My assumption is that she came through the portal with Uncle Scrooge.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The way the boy spoke as well as his mannerisms made her think he was definitely his fathers son.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Brilliant deduction Huey,” Dickie spoke with a smile as she watched the genuinely shocked reaction of the teen as she called him by his name.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“H-how do you…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m Dickie Duck, I guess technically I’m your cousin as in another time and place I’m Scrooge and Goldie’s Granddaughter.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Wait---What,” the older female duck in the room whom if Dickie had to guess was the infamous ‘Dumbella’ exclaimed as she took a step forward and began to size her up and down as if to take in any family resemblances she might have to try and prove she was the real deal.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Apparently in Dickie’s world, me and Goldie had a young lass though Goldie...well, being Goldie skipped town before I knew about it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Deciding to leave out the details in the middle, Dickie smiled and added.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And, when I found out THE SCROOGE MCDUCK was my papa, I enrolled in a University in Duckburg as a means to get to know him.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Here I thought fighting Super Villains from my favorite television show would be the highlight of my week,” spoke the broad shouldered redhead whom she didn’t recognize but had been standing by Della’s side, “But a family member from another world…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <b>Dickie tilted her head wondering who he had been related to though soon she noticed the way his attention turned to another man whom she also didn’t recognize that had been seated on the ground with Dewey and the young girl.</b>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Okay, who am I kidding, fighting the fearsome four was like something out of a dream. Anyway, I’m Launchpad, and any family of Mr. McD is family to me.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Okay, that answered the question of if he was a part of the actual family as her mind began to race some more as voices around her began to talk to one another asking just how they were going to explain her presence to Goldie...to others.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>As they pulled up to the manor, Dickie did as Della instructed taking a deep breath before counting to ten. They had ultimately decided that they would go ahead and tell Goldie the truth as passing her off as Matilda's estranged daughter was a good thought at first however the girls resemblance to her grams was pretty obvious and plus she couldn't fake a passing Scottish accent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the limo lurched to a stop, Dickie noticed as three figures began to step out of the mansion. The first was an older woman who while dressed in a housekeeping uniform but could easily pass as Scrooge’s bodyguard, the second was a girl dressed in a purple skirt and a cream colored blouse who had to be her </span>
  <em>
    <span>aunt </span>
  </em>
  <span>Webby, and the last was an all too familiar looking chicken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched the way that Della hopped out of the limo, running into his arms and having him slip a pair of rings that were hanging from his neck back on her fingers. The two boys meanwhile began chatting away with the girl while Scrooge began to whisper to the older woman clearly about her if the way he kept looking and pointing to the limo was any sort of tell. This now left her and Launchpad alone in the limo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you need an escape I have a pullout in the guest house that’s all yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie nodded glad for the way people had been warming up to her all things considered as she finally climbed out of the limo where she instantly felt eyes on her again. Taking in another deep breath she soon watched as the young girl eagerly approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi I’m Webby, I’ve always wanted to have a sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi I’m Dickie, and is that the story we are going with because I’ve always kind of wished I had a sibling too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young girl squealed, soon enveloping her in an embrace which was surprisingly tight for that of a twelve year old.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>While Dickie couldn’t quite tell if moments were zipping by or dragging along all she knew was that while Launchpad had driven off with the limo everyone else was still mingling about outside the manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dickie, I want you to meet my fiancé Gyro Gearloose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve met in another life,” she replied as she shook the chickens hand letting out a sigh.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fall 2012 Earth 2:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Dickie had been sitting in the common area of her resident hall curled up on a couch. With students still moving in and organizing their living spaces she was pleased to see that the room wasn’t too busy as she pulled out a book on THE HISTORY OF CLAN MCDUCK she had picked up.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Doing a bit of light reading before classes start?” spoke a voice taking her away from her reading. Looking up she had spotted a young chicken maybe a year or two older then she was dressed in a yellow button down with the top couple buttons undone, a pair of wire framed glasses covering his face and a small hat covering his messy curls.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You could say that,” Dickie said fidgeting with the sleeves of her jacket, “I recently found out I’m related to the family.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ah one of those ancestry tests or something.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Or something,” she spoke with a slight chuckle not wanting to bore him with the details of her personal life, just yet anyway, “I’m Dickie by the way and I promise I’m not normally this socially awkward.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s okay, I was a bit awkward when I was a freshman, still am as a Graduate Student actually. Name’s Gyro by the way and if you ever need a tour guide, or a friend.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Dickie couldn’t help but smile as she took his hand knowing in an instant that this would be the start of something good.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>She watched as this Gyro flashed her a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I do hope your interactions with my counterpart were pleasant ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The most pleasant, he is one of my best friends and was my roommate before papa insisted on me moving into the manor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa?” Gyro asked with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scrooge,” both ladies said seemingly in unison before letting out a slight chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh you are going to be two peas in a pod and it kind of scares me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie watched the way that Della flashed Gyro a smirk before leaning her head on her fiance’s shoulder. He was right though, she could already tell that while her relationship or lack thereof with the Della from her world wasn’t the best there was just a spark between her and the other woman that was undeniable and she was almost certain that Webby wouldn’t be her only ‘pseudo sister’ while she was in this world.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>By now it seemed that she and the happy couple were the only ones still standing on the doorstep of the manor and so Dickie decided to leave the two lovebirds alone in the moment as she slipped inside instantly noticing the young boy dressed in green who immediately took a step toward her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re the one trying to take away my inheritance huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no intention of taking anything from you Louie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you know my name…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie nodded her head about to comment about how she was just passing through until Gyro or some guy named Fenton figured out a way to send her home and track down the whereabouts of that young girl Gosalyn from back in St.Canard’s grandfather when suddenly a familiar voice took her from her thoughts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go easy on our guest sharpie,” Goldie O’Gilt or rather Goldie McDuck she supposed  spoke, causing Dickie to smile a bit thinking that even in her own world she missed her Grams dearly as she still resided in New Stork. Turning toward the woman she couldn’t help but take in the youthful appearance of the woman’s visage much like that of Scrooge’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scroogie filled me in on most of the details but I just had to see for myself and he was right the resemblance is just…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie sucked in a breath as Goldie began to circle her taking in every detail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what was our relationship like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, my mother passed just after laying me and your counterpart stepped in. We lived in a nice apartment in New Stork. She was an acting coach mostly, though she took a few minor stage roles as I got older… reliving the glory days of working in Saloons she would say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like something I would do in an alternative life,” Goldie said in agreement, “and what about you? What do you do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I have a degree in journalism however I mostly manage the social media of McDuck Enterprises while also being a live in babysitter for Huey, Dewey and Louie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie watched as Goldie nodded wondering if the woman thought she had thrown away her potential however instead she simply nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I’ve always wondered what it would like to have a child of my own and while the situation is a bit unorthodox and technically you’re my gr—gran—I can’t even say it, I really would like to have a relationship with you and to make your stay in this world as normal as possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks gra—mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie watched as Goldie simply shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever makes you feel the most comfortable...but never Grams.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding again, Dickie watched as Della reentered the room sans Gyro.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is your better half?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching as Della gently bit her bill clearly wondering if she should be offended or not by her comment, Dickie was relieved as Della simply answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He and Huey left with Dewey, probably to drop him off and to fill Donald in about…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della didn’t even need to mention her name as Dickie knew that they were filling him in about her. She wondered what Donald’s reaction to things would be like, heck she wondered what Donald was like in general as the only time that she had even gotten a glimpse of him was the day he had dropped the triplets off at the manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t join them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I know what it’s like coming home to a place that looks like your home and feels like your home but is different. Of course returning from over a decade on the moon and jumping into an alternate reality is like comparing apples to oranges….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding at Della’s ramble, Dickie couldn’t help but let out another little chuckle as the other woman continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..and going through a portal obviously didn’t give you any time to pack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking down at the workout attire she’d been wearing that had been covered up only by Launchpad’s damp and sweaty jacket that he’d loaned her back in the limo, Dickie gave Della a nod as the woman began to lead her up the stairs to her childhood bedroom where she had extra clothes lying around that probably would fit as a placeholder before they could check out a mall...though Dickie supposed her credit card wouldn’t work in this world now would it.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Right now even though I have bullet points with various plots I'm kind of blocked and can go three ways with the next chapter 1) Webby or Goldie further processing the Dickie situation, 2) Dickie meeting Penny and them instantly bonding about being fishes out of water and potentially planting the seeds for them to potentially be girlfriends 3) my Louie/Violet scene</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies for the delay but I’m going to be transparent… I work in retail and the holidays are insanity enough without a global health crisis being tossed into the mix. While I managed to work through my physical and emotional burnout with a few one shots I honestly feel like I hit a wall. I was fully debating on doing another Dickie centric chapter possibly with her meeting Penny but decided instead to press on…any feedback about my Dickie would be loved also if you have any VA fancast suggestions for her let me know </p><p>—-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Shadow Realms, Moonlanders, relatives from alternate dimensions, just one of those things would have turned a normal girl away however Violet Sabrewing wasn’t a normal girl. In fact the young hummingbird found normalcy to be overrated. She spent the first eleven years of her life living in Spoonerville with her dads, Tyrian who had been a public defender and Indigo who had been a professor at Spoonerville State and was the reason for her move to Duckburg. Her dad had been given a dream job to head up a department on paranormal psychology at Duckburg University and the school even offered her a full ride scholarship to attend Duckburg Preparatory academy to sweeten the deal. Even without the scholarship it was the chance of a lifetime which is how she’d come to be in the position she was in at this very moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Check Mate,” Violet said proudly as she crossed her arms looking at her defeated opponent, “though I must admit for a C Average student you put up a much better competition then I thought you would.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doofus Drake however was clearly not amused by the petite birds complement as he crossed his own arms glaring across the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whose idea was it to invite the scholarship case again?” He asked with an air of annoyance in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s my friend,” Webby spoke taking a step toward Doofus from behind placing a hand on his shoulder and flashing him a smirk, “she has just as much right to be here as you being Louie’s friend and all...seriously I don’t know what my brother sees in you….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Violet couldn’t help but smile a bit as the voices of the duos banter faded for a moment into the background. Friend...she never had those back in Spoonerville. Sure, she had classmates and other mild acquaintances from her plethora of clubs and activities but there wasn’t any warmth to the relationship as there was from the moment she had laid eyes on the youngest McDuck.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>March 2019:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Violet was pleased to see her favorite table in the library had been vacant. Placing a large book down on the table she soon reached into her bag to pull out a trinket that she had found washed up on shore at the pier a few weeks prior. There was some writing on it. She figured it was Sumerian or possibly Aramaic, she needed a better read on her dead languages and while her father had a plethora of books on the subject they were stashed away in his office and the public library was vastly more accessible then the university.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“WHERE DID YOU GET THAT!” the sound of another girl exclaimed in a tone that was just loud enough not to draw attention to a librarian but still commanding enough to get noticed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I found it on the pier.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence as she watched the girl turn to her side, spacing out for a moment before eyeing the books on the table.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Sumarian?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“There is some kind of inscription...dead language...thought I wouldn’t expect anything less from Magica DeSpell.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Another moment of silence as she watched the strange duck begin to whisper argue to the air besides her for a moment.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And how do YOU know Magica DeSpell.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I know of her...I moved to Duckburg about four months before what the media refers to as ‘the shadow war’ and well, I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with the supernatural.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Another moment of silence, seriously if she knew any better she would have thought that there was a third girl who was invisible, a ghost stuck between two realms perhaps.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m Webby by the way.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Violet nodded as she began to type a few things into her phone before flashing the other girl a smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Webbigail McDuck, adoptive daughter of Scrooge and Goldie McDuck, adoptive sister of Lewellen McDuck, cousin of….”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Webby held out her hand to stop her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And here I thought I was a good McDuck Family historian.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s called an internet search,” Violet said holding up her phone, “I’m Violet by the way, anyway , who is your friend?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You can SEE her? I mean you do have Magica’s amulet remnants so it was in the realm of possibility.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, there IS someone there.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Violet was surprised that she was actually having a paranormal encounter while at the same time it was clear that Webby had been going into panic mode.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Her name is Lena, she is my best friend who suffered from some unfortunate circumstances.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Stuck between our world and the next?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Something like that. Anyway, you said you had a fascination with the supernatural perhaps between the two of us we could figure out a way to bring Lena back to the land of the living.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Land of the living? Most rituals she had known of were about helping lost spirits finish the unfinished and cross over, not that she’d had experience in actually performing one.  Somehow however she soon found herself nodding her head as Webby went on about having a sleepover. She’d never had a sleepover before and she instantly accepted knowing that her dads had been on her case about making friends and would definitely approve of her spending the evening at McDuck Manor.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Violet’s thoughts were soon broken as she felt a hand touch her own shoulder causing her to stiffen a bit with nerves. She still wasn’t used to having a non academic social life as she soon tilted her head to gaze into Louie’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doofus is just a sore loser, don’t take it too personally,” Louie said with his usual devil may care smirk causing Violet to curl her bill into its own smile, “But perhaps he wouldn’t mind if I had next?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At Louie’s comment, Violet watched as Doofus set back up the board before relinquishing his seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ladies first,” Louie said as Violet made her first move giving him a challenging glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Doofus had been a worthy competitor, Louie definitely had him beat. He was cool and calculated with each and every move of a piece.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Check Mate,” the green clad duck soon spoke as he placed his elbows on the table resting his chin in the palms of his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I’m impressed,” Huey said from where he’d been seated on the opposite side of the room immersed in reading a novel from their summer reading list which she had already completed by July fourth then again she hadn’t had nearly as distracting a summer as Huburt had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t have another person join the list of those who have bested me now can I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” said Lena who had been in the room entertaining herself in watching the games, “sore winners are a thing too pennybags?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Violet watched as Louie shook his head disagreeing with Lena’s comment while also taking mental note of the way his cheeks flushed at the more colorful moniker she had given him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it makes you sleep better at night though Sabrewing, best two out of three? After all, a nice quiet rainy day inside is much more pleasurable than the insanity of the past few weeks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of insanity, how is Dickie settling in?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Violet couldn’t help but notice how while Webby grinned excitedly, Louie’s expression soured a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty good I think. Most things are still seemingly the same compared to the world she came from making the adjustment more bearable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad said he might know of someone who could try and open up the rift between worlds again but he doesn’t want to contact them unless it’s a last resort,” Huey decided to chime in and say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I wish he’d cash in on his hunch sooner rather than later as Dickie presently is the heir to the family fortune…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forget about your inheritance for one moment and think about Gosalyn and her grandfather!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure that your little girlfriend is fine with having Dar...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s not my girlfriend,” Dewey cut in looking at his cousin giving him a glare, “anyway as much fun as watching Violet challenge everyone in chess we should get Dickie in here to pair up for a proper game night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great idea, I call Dickie.” Webby said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then I’m partnering with Lena,” Louie said, getting an eye roll from Doofus as Violet decided to peep up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want Hubert as my partner, we will crush you in anything that takes academic prowess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Dewey looked across the room to Doofus shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously guys...not cool...can Doofus just go home instead and I’ll pair off with Webb’s” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of Thunder filled the air from outside making it clear that nobody was leaving the manor anytime soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we shouldn’t tempt fate,” Louie said, “I mean if dad hears we are having a game night he and mom will want to join in and well, you think I can get a bit competitive then you haven’t played a board game with Scrooge and Goldie McDuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Violet made a mental note to add the experience of a McDuck family game night to her bucket list.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about a movie, I have seen your home theater and it’s practically your own personal cineplex? I mean unless Hubert wants to challenge me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Violet couldn’t help but watch the way Huey shook his head making her wonder if he was afraid she would beat him before the train of conversation shifted into which movie they should see. She’d never had real friends before and so as the argument went on around her Violet couldn’t help but smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you like this...I figured I needed some fluffy filler...timeline wise this takes place mid-late July...my next “arch” takes place in Late August (Gyro’s Birthday/Daisy Introduction) so should I do another filler chapter and if so what characters/plots would you want to peek in on?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I decided on another random filler because Gladstone has been living rent free in my mind and his/Della’s relationship in this fic is important to me...next chapter should begin the DAISY arch so stay tuned.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Gladstone Gander was known as the luckiest in the world though it still wasn’t lucky enough to save his cousin and best friend from being lost in space robbing her of a life with her boys. While Scrooge deemed him a “Bad Influence” and he had never had the best relationship with Donald or Gyro for that matter he had still managed to view from the sidelines just how well the boys had been raised, he knew Della would have been proud. When he first caught sight of her months ago on that island he had thought he was seeing things until they began to ride back to Duckburg on the back of Fethry’s giant krill. He had wanted to visit sooner, the Moonvasion giving them little time to catch up in the moment however he got distracted. He wasn’t now which is what led him toward the Gearloose residence on a seemingly normal early August afternoon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been lounging on the couch as if he owned the place and must have dozed off as soon Della’s voice filled the air startling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glads? How did you get here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well there was a limo conveniently parked outside of my building…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Della flashed him a look that he greatly missed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And well for a genius you’d think your fiancé would think of a better place to hide a spare key then under a planter...seriously anyone could break in looking for top secret information.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not why you're here? To snag the plans for the latest Gizmosuit enhancement?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gladstone couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at his cousin’s comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really think I’d want to risk bruising my pretty face to become a vigilante? Though speaking of enhancements how did you like your new and improved Doc?”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>December 2016:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Stepping out of a lavish town car Gladstone couldn't help but take in his surroundings. The residential block of the Duckburg Historic District was quite quaint especially as it glittered in millions of festively colored fairy lights as the holiday season was in full swing. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He had been about to knock on the door when as his luck would have it,  Gyro had opened it for him, raising a brow.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What are you doing here?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Can’t a guy visit his favorite cousin?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m not your….” Gladstone listened as Gyro began to speak realization setting in that the green clad goose had in fact been his cousin through his all too brief marriage to Della. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I wanted to congratulate you… DOCTOR GEARLOOSE.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it?” Gyro asked with a grin as he ushered Gladstone inside.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It definitely suits you, Della would be so proud.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As Gladstone took a seat on the couch he couldn’t help but look over to watch as Gyro glanced over toward a photo of him and Della with their eggs sitting on the mantle, his bill turning into a smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“She would be.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence as Gyro crossed the room before taking a seat.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know,” Gladstone finally spoke with a raised brow, “this is a new chapter in your life you should upgrade your look a bit.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I knew you had some hidden agenda for visiting. Anyway  what’s wrong with my look?” </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gladstone watched as Gyro looked down silently examining himself. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Nothing is wrong with it, it’s just you’re a Doctor now and the whole frazzled mad scientist look doesn’t really carry an aura of confidence. Lucky for you, I’m here and honestly my vision is quite subtle actually.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>—</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gladstone had known that Gyro would give in and say yes because whenever Gladstone set his mind to something it would get done...well almost everything he thought silently thinking about the hand he had in trying to locate Della after the accident.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He first had Gyro remove his suspenders, afterall he was already wearing a belt and so both accessories were a bit much together. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Not many people can pull off lavender but it compliments you.” Gladstone said pointing to the button up shirt Gyro had been wearing in the present moment as he gently bit his bill.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Thanks...I think.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gladstone simply nodded.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Now the bow tie definitely could remain a statement piece...and a vest could give you some extra polish…. and your hair...have you ever thought to tame your curls with gel….”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>A few hours and a trip to the mall later Gladstone couldn’t help but look at his creation proudly.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You're going to break a lot of hearts I can already tell,” Gladstone teased.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gyro's expression which had been grateful for the plussing up of his look soon turned a bit sullen.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I don’t want to break hearts, nobody will ever replace Della.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gladstone simply nodded as another moment of silence slipped through the air.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So what are you doing for the Holidays? Have a hot date of your own?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes...and no...I’ve been invited to an exclusive New Years Eve event at a casino in Macaw though I’m planning on showing up a bit early.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well,I’m sure you’ll have fun, you always do.”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“I loved it,” Della responded with a smile, “you’ve always had such a great eye.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Had?” Gladstone spoke running his hand down the sleeve of his blazer, “my taste has always been impeccable you know you could use a bit of a change too, you look like a mechanic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della looked down at the khaki shorts and oil stained white tank top she had been wearing in the moment rolling her eyes a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am a mechanic…in the process of building a new plane which is why I’m not all glammed up at the moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well still,” Gladstone said playfully running a hand through his cousin's hair, “you should try a blowout, or some curls.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pushing his hand back, Della couldn’t help but let out a slight chuckle before rolling her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m going out next week for Gyro’s birthday, perhaps I’ll try a new style then….can you believe he is going to be 36….that I’M 36...how did I get so OLD!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t help but to shake his head at the way his cousin thought she’d been old after all he had been about nine months older than her and Donald had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess being isolated messes with your sense of time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a slight chuckle at his comment, Gladstone couldn’t help but think that he wasn’t the only cousin to get themselves trapped though he supposed being held captive by a ‘Luck Vampire’ for eighteen months was just a drop in a bucket compared to Della’s experiences and so he knew he would be saving that story for another day especially as his cousin began to speak up once more as she began to nod her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should come, I’m sure Gyro would love to have you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t want to be a third wheel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like we were having a date night...Sel will be there...well, if she can figure out a way to slip past Zeus, and her boyfriend, and Don, and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Listening as his cousin’s voice began to rattle off a few more names he couldn’t help but keep his mind wrapped around one particular name she had spoken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait what? Since when has Selene been seeing someone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since late June, I mean TECHNICALLY they haven’t put any labels on things what with her being a Goddess among many other obstacles but she’s been seeing Gyro’s lab assistant Fenton.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gladstone wondered if perhaps he should look into finding a scientist of his own, or perhaps he’d hand out around the hospital and luck his way into meeting a cute young nurse in need of being swept off their feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Send me the when and where and maybe I’ll find the time to put in a cameo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Della nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve missed you Glads,” she spoke, wrapping her arms around him giving him a slight squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve missed you more Dells,” he responded, “Though I suppose as your best person I’ll be around so much in the next seven months that you’ll be sick of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never,” Della replied with a slight chuckle as they continued their conversation well into the evening with Gladstone even staying for dinner. He definitely missed this..being with his cousin..and he was glad that things were back to normal...well as normal as life waas for people like them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>
    
  </b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A small part of me wanted to split this arch into four chapters instead of three but then I decided I was due for a long-ish chapter so here we are…. Also I have no clue how much more I’ll get done before the final arch of episodes starts Feb 22nd…. I’m hoping for this arch, Boyd intro and the potential filler chapter in between but no promises…anyway thanks again for all the kudos and comments they are what keeps my muse going</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first few weeks after coming back to Earth, Della couldn’t stand passing a mirror and looking at her reflection. Now however she stood facing it as she ran her hand through the curl of her hair examining it. Gladstone had been right, she did look good with a slight voluminous wave to her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should call Detective Cabrera because you're looking so hot it’s criminal.” Gyro spoke leaning over to give her a gentle peck on her forehead causing her cheeks to gather a slight warmth as even after all this time that damn chicken seemed to make her blush like a schoolgirl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gyro Gearloose, spouting cheesy pick up lines, I never thought I’d see the day.”  she spoke before giving him a slight kiss back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just one of the many features of Doctor Gyro Gearloose version 36.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della knew that he’d been joking with his response however with talk like that it was no wonder people would crack jokes about him and or their son Huey being a robot at times though she wasn’t going to snap back to him about his comment and instead quipped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As is this new casual look I hope?” she asked, running her fingers down the arm of the navy blue sweater he’d been wearing letting them stop at his wrist where the cuff of the dress shirt he’d been wearing underneath was folded over adorned with the custom cufflinks that resembled little bulb that she had given him as a birthday present earlier in the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as Gyro nodded his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More cashmere, a wedding band with the version 36.5 patch in the spring.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but chuckle, he could be such a dork when he lightened up and she loved it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what about your ensemble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking down at the leather pants and sapphire sequin tank she’d been wearing she placed a hand on her hip before giving her head a shake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flashing a flirtatious smile to her fiancé, their bantering was swiftly interrupted by a knock on the door. They weren’t expecting any guests and if Huey had left something behind before spending the evening at the manor he would have called first and if not he had a key so he wouldn’t have the need to knock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s an unexpected birthday package?” Gyro questioned with a raised brow shifting the subject away from her ensemble. As the chicken took a step toward the door, she began to slip a black leather jacket on adding to the aesthetic she had going on for her in the moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Gyro opened the door however, Della soon noticed that instead of being met with a delivery driver or at the very least a brown box he’d been met with a tall, blonde female duck dressed in a floral romper and a leather jacket of her own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Gyro,” Dickie said with a friendly smile as she invited herself in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you, Launchpad, and Penny were meeting us at the bar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as Dickie shrugged back her shoulders letting out a sigh as she took a seat on the sofa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that was the plan. But then Launchpad decided to head to St.Canard with his boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At Dickie’s comment Della couldn’t help but take a seat beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boyfriend? You mean Drake...they aren’t...are they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They sure seem to be more than friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well yea, Launchpad was Drake’s superhero sidekick when Darkwing is out getting dangerous though if they were a couple good for them...perhaps if they couldn’t crack the code to get Gosalyn’s grandfather back from the multiverse they would even adopt her...Launchpad would make an excellent father….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Penumbra was all set to come but then Webby wanted to do something that peaked her interest more than ‘getting earth drinks’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you're here,” Gyro said, taking a seat between the girls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as Dickie nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what would you have been doing with YOUR Gyro if you were back home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shrugging back her shoulders the blonde shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, probably just go for coffee...maybe see if any of our acquaintances from college were having a salon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding her head, Della thought that what Dickie described definitely seemed more exciting then the past birthdays she had spent with Gyro.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>August 2000:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She had just come back from adventuring with some of her uncles colleagues in Cape Suzette and was on an adrenaline high as she spotted the lights on at the guest house.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Uncle Scrooge… Don… I’m going to just…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched her uncle nod.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t be too long lass, it’s late and I’m sure Gyro needs his rest.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della nodded as she made her way toward the house knocking on the door.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Isn’t it a bit late to be coming over for a cup of sugar or whatever it is neighbors do?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“We were just getting back from our latest adventure and I saw your light on. So, whatcha doing?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a lingering pause.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’ve been working on a slight update to little bulb here to help better adapt it to American power sources.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della looked at the sentient light bulb with a mechanical exoskeleton sitting in the chickens hand...it’s bulb going from burning white to red the instant her eyes gazed upon it.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Della is definitely not a threat,” he muttered, causing the bulbs light to dim back to normal as she watched him place it down on the table.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Her gaze soon shifted however toward the calendar on the wall where August 24th, that days date was circled in red with an abstract drawing of a cupcake with a candle</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Her question seemed to throw her companion for a loop.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well I… that is… birthdays just have never been that big a deal. It is just a mile marker signaling your another year closer to the end giving you a moment to reflect on your life’s accomplishments”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well it’s a deal big enough to mark on your calendar Gearloose so it must hold some significance.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della watched as Gyro simply shrugged back his shoulders as an idea flashed in her mind. Her Uncle always thought she was a clever lass and she just had a flash of brilliance.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t go to bed...I’ll be back in a jiffy,” she spoke heading out of the guest house hoping that Duckworth had still been in the garage shining up the limo.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Though what Dickie had described was more exciting than birthdays past from what she had seen out of the corner of her eye one thing remained the same as she looked over toward the pink frosted sugar cookie that had been sitting on the counter causing her to smile as when she had left the guest house that evening after his first birthday with the family she had Duckworth drive around for the better part of an hour only to realize the only place still open that sold baked goods was Starducks and at that time of night all they had left in their case were pink frosted sugar cookies. It had soon became their thing, every August 24th up until her disappearance she’d slip into the lab and give him a cookie. Even the years she’d been with the McQuack’s she had managed to get Duckworth to deliver one. So, when she had woken up that morning she had been pleased to see one lying on the kitchen counter as Gyro told her he had kept the tradition alive in her honor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Along with the cookie on the counter, Della’s eyes also fell towards the clock on the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should get going, Don and Fenton are probably thinking that we decided to have a party of our own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but notice a small smirk crossing Gyro’s bill clearly thinking about what would transpire later in the evening after they had a few glasses of wine in their systems. The years definitely loosened him up she thought.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>There was already a fairly decent crowd at the bar which was to be expected for a Saturday evening however despite that it was easy to spot her twin at the bar squawking at the Ibis who looked fabulous as usual in the pale purple and gold off the shoulder dress she’d been wearing. And speaking of the Ibis there was a definite glow about her that was different then her usual ethereal godlike shimmer and that was most definitely caused by Fenton who had been at her opposite side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s about time you showed up,” Donald said, giving his sister a glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And hello to you too Don, have I kept you waiting long?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Long enough to see those two act all lovey dovey enough to make me sick…though I’m sure you and my future brother in law will be doing more of the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shrugging back her shoulder Della couldn’t help put pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably...but how about I buy you a drink? Would that help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m only having a club soda but sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded as she turned toward the bartender to order drinks before Gyro made it over toward the group. He had said he had a present he had wished to give himself however he had been super secretive about it though the fact that it involved grabbing one of her brothers old guitars from the manor earlier in the week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love the hair Della,” Selene spoke moving from Fenton’s side for a moment to run a finger through Della’s curls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, it was Gladstone’s suggestion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The three of us need to get together soon, though I almost couldn’t make it to earth tonight, I think father has finally realized that all these trips haven’t been visiting you because of my guilt that you were on the moon the whole time and I never picked up on it but that I’m seeing a mortal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della pouted...Zeus was the WORST though at least she had been here now in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a shame that Donald is your cousin,” Fenton said as he looked over toward Dickie with a smile, “You two would make a fun couple and then we could go on triple dates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely NOT” Donald and Dickie spoke at the same time as Della soon noticed Dickie’s cheeks flush pink at the prospect of a romantic entanglement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides, I kind of like someone but it’s complicated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because of the whole alternate dimension issue?” Fenton asked</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Among other things,” Dickie admitted as she looked over toward Gyro, “Anyway complications or not, care for a dance Gearloose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della gave a nod of approval as Gyro and Dickie soon headed toward the dance floor while Fenton and Selene did the same leaving Della alone at the bar taking a sip of her white wine before flashing her brother a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something on your mind sis?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been back for five months and I’ve noticed you don’t have a girlfriend Don.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My love life is none of your business sis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are my brother, everything is my business. I mean you're a total catch, business man, single father….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Running a fishing charter is hardly a business Della, and I doubt being an instant step mother to two teenagers is any woman's dream...plus my voice...lets face it I’m damaged goods.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You're not damaged, and your voice is unique...charming evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Charming….oh phooey Della you are only saying that because you're my sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della had been about to respond when the song ended and an employee of the club headed up toward the small makeshift stage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you know, Saturday nights are open mic night and tonight we have a very special performer. From the shortly lived early 2000’s band the Three Caballeros is Duckburg’s own Donald Duck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT,” Donald squawked looking from the man on the stage to his sister. Honestly Della was just as shocked as he’d been however from the smug look on her fiancé’s face she instantly knew what his secret earlier had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can I say, when I heard it was open mic night I thought that while the BEST birthday present was having Della back, the second best present would be have my soon to be brother in law serenade me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can sing you Happy Birthday if you want but I’m not going on stage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not Don, you love music.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, just not in public...my voice remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hear My Voice!” Dickie said reaching down toward the guitar case that they soon realized had been placed on the floor by Gyro, “You should sing Hear my Voice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All eyes fell on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, there was a demo of the Caballeros lying around the manor, not the music I’d normally vibe to but you were pretty good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Until I started to sing then I got booed off the stage, I’m a better songwriter then a singer. Anyway, even if I were to sing, I couldn’t sing one of the bands songs without Panchito and Jose backing me up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fair enough,” Della said, “But I’m sure you have some rock ballad in your back pocket begging you to let it out. And besides, I’ve gone over a decade without hearing you perform.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della knew that her pulling the ‘her being gone’ card would be just the thing to do the trick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine, but when I’m done you owe me another drink...a real one this time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but nod her head in agreement taking another sip of wine as Donald made his way onto the stage.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter Daisy shows up....I can't wait for my meet-cute which will have a little bit of an Easter egg to some recent real life events involving a certain Duck themed Theme park attraction....<br/>also if any readers have song ideas for Donald feel free to suggest (the only criteria is that it's a ballad from the 80s-00s range)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Am I being basic using Wonderwall as the song Donald sings in this chapter,  yes probably (also lyrics to three caballeros &amp; hear my voice for reasons). Also unique format in the flashback, a fun Easter Egg, and very exposition heavy since it’s a brand new character introduction….</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Daisy Duck was on the precipice of greatness. Well, at least that’s what she told her reflection every morning as she left her apartment to head toward her job as Emma Glamor’s personal assistant. She knew if she paid her dues getting coffee and calling up vendors to set up the latest photoshoots one day her designs would be featured. It had been five years and she still hadn’t had such luck. Perhaps if she had stuck with her narcissistic ex boyfriend she would be having her designs grace the runways instead of having to deal with her boss go full on diva because the jacket she had planned to feature on next month's cover was Bubble Gum Pink and not Cherry Blossom Pink which was the current color trend. Running her hand down her side as she slipped her hand into her pocket the fashionista couldn’t help but sigh. At least she got complementary couture for her troubles especially for having to come in on a Saturday.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Entering the bar she was ready to unwind with a glass of rośe when a distinctive tone filled her ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Today is gonna be the day</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That they’re gonna throw it back to you….</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh she thought her drink could wait as she took a step towards the stage. No, it couldn’t be could it?</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>November 2002:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Daisy couldn’t believe her first semester of college was coming to a close. Okay, sure she had just been taking the basic general education courses required by everyone in attendance so it was nothing too exciting but soon...soon she'll be taking courses in design and marketing putting herself well on her way to being the designer she dreamed of being since as long as she could remember.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Entering the small coffeehouse on the edge of campus she figured she would savor the dwindling days of pumpkin spice season while going over her flashcards for finals when she noticed a house band setting up in the corner.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>A few moments later they began to hit the stage.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We’re three caballeros, three gay caballeros,  they say we are birds of a feather</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We’re happy amigos, no matter where he goes, the one two and three goes, we’re always together….</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>By the time they were at the second verse rolled around she couldn’t help but tap her foot along. There was just something so exotic about the dapperly dressed parrot’s accent and there was just such a unique grit to the duck in blues squawk that made her melt.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a small amount of applause as the set ended, hers included in the crowd. </em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>For the rest of her first year of college and throughout her second she would make it a habit of planning her study groups at the cafe around when she saw postings that the band was playing and she might have sketched costume ideas for the band on the back of her napkins countless times. She refused however to call herself a groupie, lumping herself in with the girls she went to high school who practically flung themselves at the stage towards the latest boy band.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>October 2004:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Daise you're such an introvert,” her friend Clarabelle said, shaking her head as they exited a lecture hall.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I just don’t see standing around a room praying I don’t ruin my dress with vomit while my ears bleed at the horrifically loud EDM music as fun.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But studying at the coffeehouse and mooning over that musician is?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Daisy didn’t want to dignify the comment with a response however she didn’t have to as Clarabelle continued.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know Clara Cluck lives in my dorm and is in a relationship with Panchito, I could go corner her in the common room and casually ask her if dream man is single.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t call him that.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Seriously Daise, you're such a strong independent woman and yet.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Everytime I go and try to introduce myself to him I freeze up.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Her friend nodded.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well not today… today I’m marching right up to the stage and am going to do it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Atta girl.”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hear my voice</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As I’m calling out for you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hear my voice</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There are things I wish you knew….</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>This was new, he’d never been front and center singing a solo before and as he crooned, Daisy couldn’t help but feel the way his eyes met hers as if he was singing just for her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The sound of her cell soon broke her from her spell wondering if Clarabelle was in too deep at the frat party however instead the name DAWN flashed across the screen.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For even if my heart is strange </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And hard to understand </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll give all that I have for you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll help you take a stand</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Stepping out of the room just as he once again sang </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>“so hear my voice” </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Daisy answered her sister's call.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <span>Because maybe</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re gonna be the one that saves me</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And after all</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re my Wonderwall</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The song ended as Daisy clasped her hands in applause, biting her bill slightly as aside from herself and a small cluster of figures standing off toward the other side of the stage everyone else was flashing sour or confused expressions on their faces. Clearly they had no taste she thought as house music came on and she could hear a mutter of…. “Oh Phooey” coming from the Duck on stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were amazing, better then I remember from Perkatory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as his eyes met hers at the comment as he flashed her a questioning gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perkatory? You went to Spoonerville State?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy simply shrugged her shoulders back and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I practically lived at the shop, the Three Caballeros were the perfect background soundtrack for studying and sketching.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You're an artist?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“design major, though right now I’m just an assistant at a fashion magazine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a slight moment of silence as Donald soon spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did my sister put you up to this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t aware you had a sister, I just came here to unwind after a bad day and hearing your voice, seeing you it just brought back lots of nostalgia.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nostalgia?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another pause…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the groupie Zé started dating after the band broke up right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy simply nodded her head a wash of guilt falling over her.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>November 2004:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Daisy had been away for a few weeks spending time with her family after her mother’s accident. Thankfully it wasn’t fatal and she was recouping quite nicely however she missed the campus and most of all she missed seeing Donald’s smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As she entered the cafe however instead of being met with the usual trio José and Panchito were there but in Donald’s place was a potted plant wearing a sombrero.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>They sang their set as a duo...they were good but they didn’t have that same pop they did when Donald had been present.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As the set ended, Daisy made her way toward the stage, José’s eyes instantly meeting hers.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Señorita, I’ve seen you in the crowd before and I’ve been wondering when you’d grace us with an introduction. I’m José Carioca but I’m sure you know that.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She nodded holding out her hand.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Daisy Duck.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Duck! Any relation to our Donal?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She shook her head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Common last name, but speaking of where is he? Is he sick?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched the parrot shake his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m sorry to say, he’s gone. After his attempt at a solo failed he told us we were better off as a duo and joined the navy.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“A bit extreme don’t you think?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“He said he had no future in music and that the Navy would be a more practical fit, besides he loves the sea.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Daisy nodded her head with a saddened expression on her face.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I don’t like to see a señora cry, especially one as bonita as you.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Daisy watched as José pulled a pen from his jacket pocket rolling her eyes. He wasn’t going to be so conceited as to hand her an autograph was he?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Here is my number, let me take you out to dinner sometime.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She didn’t know if that was a more conceited move than an autograph however in the moment she just went with it.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“I’ve never liked the term groupie, I was just a fellow co-ed who coincidentally happened to like his music.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“HIS music is that what he told you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy swore she could see steam beginning to puff out of Donald’s ears causing her to place a hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a team effort, though your lyrics were like poetry, they are part of the reason I was….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, she couldn’t tell him she had a crush on him that would be a pathetic move and besides a trio of Ducks was approaching and one of the two females just had to be his girlfriend or wife right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were holding out on me weren’t you brother? you ARE seeing someone, damaged goods ha.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knew getting you back up on that stage would lead to more than my personal enjoyment? Not me and I’m a genius!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the two white haired ducks looked at Donald the third, a beautiful blonde turned her attention to Daisy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t mind those two, I’m Dickie, Donald’s cousin and you are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daisy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daisy,” Donald’s voice repeated causing a chill to run down her spine as she always wondered how her name would sound in his voice as she watched him turn toward the duo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is my twin sister Della and her fiancé Doctor Gyro Gearloose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Della said, “how long have you been with my brother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We went to college together but we are actually meeting for the first time tonight actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll leave you to it than,” Della spoke giving her brother a look as if to say ‘don’t mess this up’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching the trio leave as quickly as they arrived she watched as Donald gave her an apologetic look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, whenever I’m with a new guy my sister Dawn always wants to know everything and anything about them too…not that I’m normally with new guys...I’m single at present actually….why did I just say that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could see Donald’s face light up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m single too, though I do come with children just in case that’s a deal breaker.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was definitely not something Daisy had been expecting him to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Divorced?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched him shake his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then I’m sorry for your loss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not a widower either. My son Dewey is technically one of Della and Gyro’s kids but some things happened just before he was about to hatch leading me to adopt him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy nodded in understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And your others, you did say children plural.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, she’s a friend of my cousin Webigail who was living in a toxic environment and so I’ve been fostering her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another moment of silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Children aren’t a deal breaker in the slightest, I love kids.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Technically they are tweens”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m good with tweens, I have three tweenage nieces in New Stork who are my world...anyway perhaps the universe wanted us to meet like this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know anything about the universe but do you like the water? I’d love to take you out on my boat sometime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a boat!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean it’s not a yacht, it’s just a charter vessel, that’s what I do, I sail fishing charters and sunset cruises along the Audubon Bay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d love to go sailing with you...it’s a date.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they exchanged numbers, Daisy began to wonder what does someone wear when going sailing with their unrequited college crush?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So the plan was initially to continue my Daisy arch this chapter with Donald talking to the kids however a recent installment of the Dickie in Duckburg comic by lettheladylead on tumblr kind of inspired me to write this….also again I just couldn’t help but play lets bring deep cut duck-verse characters into this AU by implying that Abner ‘Whitewater’ Duck runs an ax throwing establishment. While it most likely won’t amount to more than a fun cameo (unless readers are interested in a Penumbra/Dickie/Abner side story) I hope you like it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was just after midnight as Dickie arrived back at the manor or more specifically the guest house as she quickly took Launchpad up on the offer to take up residency on his couch. Sure, she had been enjoying getting to know her </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘family’</span>
  </em>
  <span> and all their vastly different dynamics however at the same time it was kind of eerie being in the manor when it was subtly different from the one she was used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tossing her jacket over a chair and plopping on the couch to remove her boots she began to think of how her roommate was away and the luxury of sleeping in his bed as she did whenever he went into </span>
  <em>
    <span>“sidekick mode”</span>
  </em>
  <span> in St.Canard when suddenly there was a knock on the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess there wasn’t enough Dangerous to get,” Dickie said to herself as she stood up crossing the room to the door. It was so Launchpad to forget his keys and….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Opening the door however Dickie faced a purple alien who towered over her by almost a foot, dressed in a pair of drawstring sweatpants and a white tee shirt that was clingy on her buff physique.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw that the light was on and I figured Hero-ing was a bust for Launchpad or that Cinderella made it back from the ball.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie couldn’t help but flush at the moonlander’s comment. She was far from some princess though she supposed that Penumbra had been immersing herself in popular culture and the fact that the time was midnight adjacent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waving her in, Dickie closed the door a coy smile still plastered upon her face as she thought about the first time she laid eyes on her newfound friend.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Seven Weeks Ago….</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“How about this one?” Della asked holding up a yellow t-shirt from the pile that had been made haphazardly on her bed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Looking at the words LESTER’S POSSUM PARK emblazoned in a faded font, she couldn’t help but tilt her head to the side.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Possum Park? Sounds intriguing.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Della couldn’t help but laugh.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It was a roadside attraction, a glorified tourist trap really but it did have it’s charm.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a slight pause.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know, I was wearing that the first time I reunited with Gyro after coming home.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well then I can’t have it, it has sentimental value,” Dickie replied as she picked up a plain brown sweater and began to hold it against her body. Sure beggars couldn’t be choosers in the moment but she figured she could pull it off. She’d begun to rifle through the rest of the clothes on the bed when another voice filled the air.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Della! Beakley said you were back. I saw what was happening in St. Canard on the news and I was worried.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Turning around to see who this newcomer was, Dickie was thrown for a loop as what she’d seen wasn’t at all what she had expected as in front of her stood a rather buff purple alien who towered over the two ducks or she assumed would as they’d been seated in the moment . A mixed bag of both curiosity with a hint of attraction soon washed over her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Who’s this?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“This is Dickie, she is…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Mrs. McDuck’s estranged Daughter,” Dickie replied thinking to herself that it was so weird having her grandparents married as she held out her hand Holding out her hand.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Actually Pen, she’s Uncle Scrooge and Aunt Goldie’s granddaughter from an alternate dimension...long story...once we all freshen up I’m sure there will be a family meeting to at least fill Donald and Lena in.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lena?” Dickie asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Donald’s foster daughter, anyway have you settled on the sweater?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Dickie began to nod about to pick up the sweater when a purple hand latched onto her wrist.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I may be new to the concepts of earth fashion but I think you should try the red one.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Following her eyes to where this ‘Pen’s’ finger soon pointed, Dickie smiled as she spotted a red tank top which definitely would be more comfortable in the summer climate.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Thanks,” she replied hoping to herself that her cheeks weren’t flushing the same color as the garment now in her hand.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Don’t mention it, us outsiders need to stick together.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Outsider, she thought to herself thinking that juggling life in an alternate reality and life on a new planet probably did have lots of overlap and it would be nice to have a confidant while she navigated her present situation who wouldn’t be prone to asking her what life was like back home.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“So, I take it you had fun at the future Mr. Della’s party?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Future Mr. Della, she thought, wondering if Gyro had heard that moniker yet and wondered what he would think of being called that as she simply smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a fun time, you really should have been there. Gyro ambushed Donald by signing him up for open mic night and then used the whole ‘it’s my birthday’ card to coax him on stage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Donald sings?” Penumbra said with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean you’ve been here almost two months longer than I have and you haven’t heard about the Three Caballeros?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moonlander’s broad shoulders raised into a shrug as Dickie simply shook her head making a mental note to play something for her friend in the near future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, after Donald gets off the stage he was met with an actual fan outside of our little group, and let me say she was stunning. So, anyway, what adventure did my baby sister rope you into?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Small Della technically isn’t your sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well she’s not technically a small Della being that she’s not biologically related to her either.” She challenged as a slight pause filled the air before Penumbra exclaimed with a wash of glee in her voice..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ax Throwing!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ax Throwing?” Dickie repeated in a questioning tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knew an earth activity would be so….so….so invigorating!!!!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie couldn’t help but smile at how enthusiastic her friend was about the evening’s activities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should go together sometime,” Penumbra suggested, causing Dickie to flush wondering if this was her friend's way of casually asking her out, however soon the moonlander continued to speak. “Abner, the proprietor of the establishment was explicit that despite being an on point marks woman that small Del-Webby couldn’t come back until she was sixteen. Anyway, you’d really like him, tall, ruggedly handsome, a great sense of humor, a perfect specimen as far as earth males go, that is if you're into that sort of thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhhh hmmm,” Dickie muttered as she nodded her head thinking that while she was in fact attracted to males and females alike it was hard to think of pursuing any relationship due to her not even knowing when or if she’d be going back to her own timeline.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sudden wave of silence washed over the room before Dickie observed the way that Penumbra’s mouth curled into a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By the way, I meant to tell you earlier, you look really cute today freckles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freckles?” Dickie said with a slight flush as this was definitely a new moniker for her from her friend or otherwise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you flush like that, your freckles just… I don’t know...pop!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never noticed before,” Dickie spoke as she tried to check out her reflection in the screen of the powered down television in the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s because you probably aren’t looking in a mirror when you're blushing but you can trust me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dickie nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And speaking of outfits, it’s a shame that you couldn’t dress up in what you planned to wear tonight to the bar, I’m sure you would have killed it in that black and silver jumpsuit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Killed it?” Penumbra said with a confused tilt of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s an expression, anyway aside from going ax throwing we should totally have a girls night on the town sometime soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps we could throw Della a bachelorette bash, I mean that’s what bridesmaids do right at least in the movies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was the first time that the thought of Della and Gyro’s wedding even crept into her mind. Back in her world, she and her Gyro would joke about marriage all the time. The way she was finicky about her prospects and the way he was hyper fixated with the work he did for Von Drake among other personal pet projects. It even got to a point that one night after she’d been through a bad break up the two of them joked that if they were both still single by the time she was thirty they would tie the knot with one another. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I’m still here by spring I’d be honored to help party plan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I should go….let you get your beauty sleep, not that you need it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t help but notice the slight wink Penumbra flashed her as she made her way toward the door. Why couldn’t she bring herself to grab the moonlander’s arm, tell her to stay the night, why did things have to be so complicated.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There has been a lot going on in my personal life and while normally writing has been an escape it’s starting to feel like another job which has been making it hard for my creative muse to find any motivation. I’m sorry if this chapter falls a bit flat for that reason and also because initially chapter 40 was going to be Donald talking to the kids about meeting Daisy but then I decided to actually SHOW the Donsy Date and make that moment a flashback and so here we are….also subtle Enchanted Tiki Room reference because why not….</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Daisy, Daisy, </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Give me your answer do! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald began to whistle to himself as he moved across the deck of the Unchained Melody. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Food, Wine, Flowers…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mentally checking off items from his list, he looked toward a small portable stereo equipt with a Caballeros demo as he checked off music from his list as well. Okay, why was he so flustered? He had taken the Melody out on many a romantic cruise before. Sucking in a deep breath he reminded himself that those cruises were for paying customers and this was his first date since sophomore year of college when Jose had set him up on a blind date with a cockatoo named Rosita. Sure, he had managed to get a second date out of it but not much else. Letting go of the breath he realized he’d still been holding he soon noticed a silhouette moving toward the boat. It was Daisy and she was a vision in blue, the skirt of her dress fluttering like the waves as she moved closer and closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phooey,” he muttered hoping she hadn’t heard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was he thinking, he was way out of her league and he knew it. Why had he been so confident that night telling her that he’d love to take her sailing and why did he have to let his kids pressure him into giving her a call and setting up a time and place?</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Two Weeks Ago, The Morning After Gyro’s Party:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald was humming an old Caballeros song as he began to straighten up the living room moments from the night before flashing in his mind</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Awww Daisy,” he muttered to himself, still lost in a haze not realizing that as the moments replayed in his head the door opened and Dewey and Lena arrived home.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Daisy!” the two tweens mouthed just before Donald finally noticed the kids were there.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, did you have fun at your Uncle Scrooge’s?” he asked bracing himself to hear what happened.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I played some video games with Huey and Louie until Goss facetimed me…” Dewey spoke while Lena added, “Webby was off with Penumbra but Goldie taught me to count cards , want to see?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald watched as Lena made a deck of cards appear while Dewey placed a hand on her shoulder shaking his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Dad doesn’t have time for any card tricks Lena, he needs to tell us who DAISY is.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at the way that Dewey tauntingly pronounced her name as it reminded him of when he was just a year older than his son was now  and Della told him about her first crush.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I met someone last night kids, you see Gyro ambushed me and signed me up for open mic and…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You actually sang in public and I wasn’t there,” Dewey interrupted, “Please tell me mom filmed it.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Shrugging, Donald thought that surely she had. “Anyway, back in College it seemed that there was someone who came to our shows who actually liked and understood my voice.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You asked her out right dad?” Dewey asked as he took a seat on the couch, “You deserve to be happy.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I am happy, I have a wonderful son, and hopefully…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Taking a pause, Donald turned to Lena placing a hand on her shoulder, his bill curling a bit.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“...soon a daughter, that is if you are okay with me adopting you.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He watched as Lena flashed him a nervous look.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Are you sure? I mean my magic…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hasn’t been nearly as wild since you moved in,” Donald heard his son say while placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But my aunt Magica?” Lena questioned an air of vulnerability in her voice.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“If she comes back she will have to go through me and she wouldn’t like it when I’m angry.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence before Donald watched the girl nod her head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’ve lost count of how many times in the last four months I’ve slipped up and referred to you as dad. I’d be honored to officially be a part of this crazy little family. And who knows, maybe as an added bonus I’ll get a mom in the future.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Let’s not rush into things kids ,” Donald replied, “I mean….we did exchange numbers and I did say I’d take her on the Melody to catch up.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Catch up?” Dewey asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Did I mention she went to college with me?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“IT’S FATE,” both tweens soon exclaimed and by the end of the day Donald knew he’d be making a call.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Pretty impressive vessel you have here captain,” Daisy spoke as she made her way toward the Melody causing Donald to smile as he crossed his arms over his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The best my uncle’s money can buy,” he spoke with pride in his voice before realizing that he probably sounded a bit conceited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hoped he didn’t leave a bad impression as he tried to read Daisy’s body language.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For being someone who rarely parts with his money if it’s not self-serving or for a tax write off my uncle gifted me a trust fund accessible when I turned twenty five. Dewey had just turned one and I figured buying a boat and offering sailing charters would be a great next act.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well it definitely suits you, as does that uniform...do you dress up like this for all your client’s?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking down at his naval uniform, Donald couldn’t help but feel flushed as he shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured I’d dress for the occasion. Anyway let me help you aboard Daisy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why thank you,” his date spoke with a smile as she began to board the boat however one of her heels got caught crossing the threshold between dock and deck causing her to fall forward, lucky for the both of them Donald managed to hold his arm out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, if he was his cousin Gladstone his luck wouldn’t have ended there, no, he would have caught her in a flourish and pulled her in for a dramatically epic kiss. But he wasn’t Gladstone so while he did ‘sweep Daisy off her feet’ in a sense gravity took hold as she landed in his arms causing him to fall backwards onto the deck, his body breaking the ladies fall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that was some way to make an entrance,” Daisy spoke looking at her broken heel before kicking her shoes off and pulling herself up off the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was not how the moment was supposed to go,” Donald spoke in an apologetic tone as he sat up on the ground himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, at least no matter what happens, tonight will surely be memorable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding, Donald finished getting up as he began to cross the deck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, shall we sail out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Daisy nodded as he began to ready the Melody to pull away from the docks to begin its journey around the bay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you know about my brush with rock stardom in college and my present life as a single father and charter captain but what’s your story?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My story?” Daisy asked clearly unprepared for what Donald had asked however it was clear that she had seemed ready and able to go with the flow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, as you know I was a Fashion and Design Major at Spoonerville State.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald simply nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, my senior year I was given the opportunity to showcase my designs at a fashion show and it was a total and utter disaster.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daisy I’m sorry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault that whoever built the runway for the student showcase didn’t double check to make sure things were structurally sound….anyway thankfully it didn’t count against my final grade and so the moment my diploma was in hand I fled to New Stork. My sister Dawn recently had triplets and so I figured I could watch the kids during the day and wait tables by night. By the time April, May, and June...those are the girls' names by the way…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, by the time they began Elementary School I quit waiting tables and started to work at a department store. Sure, retail isn’t that big a step up from food service but I was back in my element surrounded by fashion. I easily rose up the ranks becoming a personal shopper which is where I met someone. He was dashing and charismatic and told me I had an impeccable eye which I knew but it was nice having someone notice….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald began to regret wanting to know her story especially at the way she began to light up about a man whom he assumed was her ex...at least he HOPED this guy was her ex and she wasn’t stringing him along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...So, we go out a few times and he tells me to meet him with my portfolio...next thing I know some of my designs are being sold at some swanky boutique. On the one hand it’s cause for termination as a personal shopper...conflict of interest or whatever, but when one door closes another opens as Emma Glamor herself sees one of my designs and simply must know who designed it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the name Emma Glamor, Donald couldn’t help but nervously bite his bill as he began to wonder if this dashing and charismatic mystery man just so happened to be Emma’s son Mark Beaks which would make the most sense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When she asked to meet with me I THOUGHT she was going to announce that I would be featured on her IT list as the #1 fashion designer to watch however boy was I surprised when she asked me to be her personal assistant. So, I upended my life, moved to Duckburg and the rest as they say…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘History,’ Donald thought to himself while wondering what ever became of the man in her story though he decided not to bring it up as he didn’t want to sound desperate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway I’m talking too much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was the one who asked you to tell me your story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as Daisy simply nodded before crossing the deck looking out toward the bay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This view is so enchanting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Yes it is,’ Donald thought though his eyes were not on the glistening bay but were instead glued to the woman beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like something to eat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could eat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald smiled as he led Daisy toward where a small table was set up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have asked you on the phone when we set this up but you don’t have any food allergies do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daisy shook her head causing a wash of relief to flood over Donald thinking that it would be just HIS luck for her to have an allergic reaction to their meal. Reaching into a cooler that sat beside the table, Donald let his beak curl into another Cheshire grin before placing a tray onto the table, removing it’s foil covering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bon Appetit,” He spoke as Daisy looked at what was on the plate and soon let out a slight chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Donald replied in an apologetic tone. Sure, he was a good enough cook in the fact that they never starved but he was by no means a gourmet chef.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to apologize, it’s just PB&amp;J Sandwiches? You’re such a dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phooey he blew it he absolutely positively blew it. He knew he was undateable and really wished he didn’t build his hopes up. He was about to apologize once more and offer to take her to Hamburger Hippo once they returned to the dock however before he could open his mouth she opened hers again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s sweet, and cut into the shape of hearts that’s quite a romantic touch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Romantic! She thought he was romantic! He was internally squealing with delight, glad that the universe finally saw it fit for them to cross paths with one another after all these long years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continued to eat, making smalltalk in between bites. The conversation was organic. They chatted about his kids and her nieces...of music and models...of everything and nothing… and it was as enchanting as the sunset that was piercing the sky above them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you care to dance?” Donald asked as they finished the meal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There isn’t any music...unless?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve made some arrangements.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a slight wink, Donald pulled out a small antiquated boom box from under the table and began to press a button.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hear my voice</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As I’m calling out for you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched as Daisy’s bill curled into a smile as his voice flowed out of the boom box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I may have had a few demo’s lying around.” He admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have one to spare for a longtime fan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that can be arranged,” Donald spoke with a nod as he began to twirl her around the deck. Sure, he didn’t get dragged into having to take cotillion like Della had been but  despite that he had some fairly decent moves.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hear my voi--voi--voi--</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>‘No, no, no,’ Donald thought to himself as the CD began to skip, this can’t be happening not when aside from their fall at the start of the evening the date was going off without a hitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Voi--voi--voi--</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The song continued as Donald took a step toward the boom box turning the song off an apologetic gaze in his eyes however in the moment he had an idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be gentle, I haven’t sung this in a long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling a water bottle from the cooler, Donald took a long sip hoping that he wasn’t about to embarrass himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hear my voice</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There are things I wish you knew….</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For even if my heart is strange </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And hard to understand </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll give all that I have for you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll help you take a stand</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Donald’s voice lingered on the final note he noticed that his and Daisy’s eyes were locked onto one another before her hand began to gently cup his chin pulling him in for a kiss.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Chapter 42</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had the intention of doing some Valentines one shots before updating this again but Valentines came and went and I’m just in a rut. I have ideas, it's just I haven’t had the time/energy to put them from my outline and head into a coherent chapter. I don’t know how much more of this will be updated between now and the series finale March 15th or if those final episodes will influence anything beyond the planned namedrop of Kit I have coming up in a future character arch. Thanks for putting up with this piece so far with it’s unconventional shippings and lack of a cohesive plotline. See you on the flipside.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Summer was always a fun time for Huey, especially in the past few years since his cousin Dewey had moved back to Duckburg and this last one was no exception. Between Florida and Bulba and just having his family complete again it was one to remember for sure. Fall however was the tweens favorite season. Fall meant a new school year was beginning but more important it meant a new scouting season was here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been counting down the weeks...the days...and this was it...the day he would finally reach the pinnacle of Woodchuck status by becoming a Senior Woodchuck. Okay sure, when he was sixteen he could become a troop leader in training but that was four long years away and he needed to just live in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whistling a happy tune as he made his way into the kitchen he was surprised to see his mom dressed in her old Woodchuck uniform with a wide grin crossing her bill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you BELIEVE this still fits?” Della asked as she posed with her hands on her hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking toward his mother Huey couldn’t help but smile as aside from a little tightness in her upper arm and the retroness of the uniform style he had to admit she looked good...well, for a mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I always knew in my gut that one of my boys would eventually become a Senior Woodchuck, though honestly I always thought for some reason it would be the one raised by Scrooge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at that. Sure, it made sense as Scrooge was a world class adventurer while his dad was very much an introvert by nature and his Uncle Donald took to the water more than the woods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To Louie roughing it is staying in a motel without WiFi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I was your age the internet was dialup and your Uncle Scrooge would always groan about clogging up the phone line for that infernal innovation and god I’m old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched as his mother picked up a pan from the stove and began to examine her reflection trying to decipher if at the age of 36 any noticeable wrinkles were beginning to show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not old, it’s technology that’s advancing at an excillorated rate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ummm hmmm,” Della simply muttered, placing the pan down. “So, are you ready to start the first day of the rest of your life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey nodded his head. Sure, he was a bit nervous about the added responsibilities that being a Senior Woodchuck would entail but he was ready to be the best leader and role model he could be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you need a ride or is Launchpad coming to get you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I think I’m going to take my bike.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Celebration later tonight?” his mother asked as she gave him a nod, “Pizza, any toppings you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like a perfect end to a perfect day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After briefly wrapping his arms around his mother in an embrace that even months later felt just as natural as it did surreal, Huey made his way toward the garage to grab his bike and soon was on his way toward the park where the Woodchuck meetings were held.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Having a pick of any toppings you wanted on a pizza was a big deal and not something to be taken lightly. Maybe he’d get mushrooms or onions or perhaps something more polarizing like pineapple or anchovies even though his mother had feelings toward fish or….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His thoughts on potential toppings however soon faded as he spotted a familiar purple feathered figure rounding a corner ahead of him and was she...no...no...PLEASE NO!</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>Last Fall:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey sat down in his algebra class brimming with pride. He was already the youngest student in his grade to begin with however this class was mostly filled with students two levels above him. He’d be taking advanced placement college level classes before long and he simply couldn’t wait.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>As he organized his notebook and pencils neatly on his desk waiting for the teacher to enter he couldn’t help but listen to the sporadic mumbles of ‘nerd’ that surrounded him. He was used to it by now and it was nothing but white noise as one day he’d be changing the world while statistically half his peers would have already reached their peak.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Class,” the teacher's voice spoke as she entered the room with a petite hummingbird, “We have a new student with us transferring here from Spoonerville. This is Violet Sabrewing. Violet why don’t you take the empty seat next to Huey over there, he’s an underclassman much like yourself.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey watched as the teacher pointed and the young girl sat beside him. Turning toward her he flashed a smile. With her dark curls and her smattering of freckles she was kind of cute, well that was if he were into girls more than he was into his scholastic endeavors which he most certainly was not. With this girl being an underclassman he instantly deemed her as competition and so he decided to make the first move and introduce himself to her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hello, I’m.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hubert Gearloose.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He couldn’t help but grin, did his reputation precede him? However before he could say something the girl seemed to read his mind by pointing toward him.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s on your student ID.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Looking at the ID tag pinned to his blazer Huey couldn’t help but let a slight chuckle escape him.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So you’re from Spoonerville? My uncle went to university there and has some friends that still reside there. You wouldn’t happen to know the Goofs would you?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“They were my neighbors actually, Max was the best babysitter, not that I actually needed one.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Parents am I right?” He asked clearly trying to break the ice while thinking about how she had lived so close to a family friend and yet their paths had only just crossed paths in the moment. However while he was breaking ice she was giving him a cold and unfeeling look as it was clear she was not here for making friends of her own.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, the teacher says you're an underclassman?” Violet said shifting the subject caused Huey to nod with pride at his scholastic status.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes Seventh Grade and you?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Same. You look kind of young too. I’m only eleven, I skipped the third grade.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He could tell she was proud of her own accolades by the tone in her voice. While definitely impressed, Huey however couldn’t help it but to reply back.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’m eleven as well, though I didn’t skip a grade. My father is an actual genius and decided to enroll me in school a year early.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Huey watched as Violet continued  to look him up and down as if to size up the competition which honestly wasn’t a bad idea as he could sense in that brief moment before their teacher began her lesson that they would be butting heads for better or worse.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Okay, sure in the last six months there had been a change in the air and if anyone would ask he would gladly admit that Violet Apollonia Saberwing was one of his nearest and dearest friends, heck outside of his family she was his only one that was age appropriate but being a Woodchuck was his </span>
  <span>raison d'etre</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Looks Like No Toppings For Me,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Huey thought to himself as he wheeled his bike toward the bike rack flashing a sliver of a smile toward the young girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stalking me Vi?” He asked with a playful smirk crossing his bill as she shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe I arrived here at the park first Hubert so if anyone here is a stalker that would be you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What I meant was...did you sign up to be a Woodchuck because you knew I was one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey couldn’t help but listen to the hummingbird chuckle as she opened her backpack pulling out a sash that held an impressive number of merit badges...a number that  looked like it could even rival his own not that he was in the mood to count.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Being a Woodchuck is more than attending meetings and going on group campouts, it’s about character and serving the community which is why I never got around to joining a new troop until now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what makes now so special?” Huey asked as he crossed his arms over his chest .</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well actually, I’ve earned enough badges and service hours to be promoted to Senior Woodchuck this year but I needed to join an actual troop to make it official.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well ACTUALLY,” Huey replied back, “Launchpad told me that I would be promoted to Senior Woodchuck this year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His words seemed to offend her as she began to glare at him….if looks could kill surely he’d be dead or at least severely injured in the moment however all around them their fellow Woodchucks were heading  in for the meeting and soon Launchpad approached the duo placing a strong hand on each of their shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched as Launchpad’s pensive gaze looked from one camper to the other and back again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you both want to be Senior Woodchucks huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Both tweens said in unison.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You promised me Launchpad...I was a shoe in, that's what you said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure I have more community service hours as while Huebert was off galavanting with his Uncle on adventures this summer I was reading to the elderly and feeding the homeless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey could tell Launchpad was nervous as his eyes watched in the way that he and Violet were having at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here’s the thing,” Launchpad said, it doesn’t need to be a competition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Technically it does,” Violet spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s right,” Huey replied, reaching into his satchel, pulling out his guidebook instantly knowing just what page to open as he memorized the text cover to cover, “The Challenge for Senior Woodchuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As Troop Leader I have the power to veto the need of a challenge if I feel that both candidates show exemplary character whatever that means.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey raised his brow at Launchpad’s words. Where did it say this in the guidebook? He didn’t remember any fine print. Though he did suppose the Troop Leader edition had some extra addendums that he’d love to wrap his brain around sometime.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what does this veto entail?” Huey asked, raising a brow knowing that he was willing to do whatever it took to become a Senior Woodchuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just the fact that both of you are officially Senior Woodchucks, congratulations.” The duo listened to Launchpad speak as he placed his hands in his pocket pulling out a pair of badges and handing them to the kids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shouldn’t you be doing this at the meeting?” Violet asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably,” Launchpad started with a shrug as they made their way toward where all the other campers were already mixing and mingling. “But I didn’t want to wait because there is one more thing that I was hoping the two of you would be up for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the tone of Launchpad’s voice, Huey couldn’t help but let his bill curl into a wide grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were also able to veto having to be sixteen to be a Leader in Training?” Huey exclaimed, “You know I’m all for being a stickler for the rules but for this I’d gladly make an exception.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched as Launchpad shrugged back his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly, we have a new camper joining our troop and I thought that you could help show him the ropes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey’s eyes couldn’t help but light up at the new responsibility that Launchpad was about to thrust upon him...and Violet, he guessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like a mentorship?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huey watched as Launchpad flashed him a confused gaze before turning to wave over another person who had to be the camper in question. A few moments later a young African Grey Parrot who looked to be around ten came into the duo’s focus. The young bird turned his gaze toward Huey then to Violet then Launchpad and then back once more toward Huey before taking a few steps toward the older boy holding out his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’m Boyd,” the parrot spoke with an eagerness in his chirp, “A Definitely Real Boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While that last part of his introduction threw him off for a nanosecond, Huey didn’t think much of it as he held out his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’m Huey and this is Violet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can tell we’re going to be great friends,” Boyd spoke as he looked between the two tweens causing Huey to nod his head back as there was definitely some connection between them he just didn’t realize yet how strong that would be.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Chapter 43</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>After Beaks in the Shell I was on the fence about making this chapter Mark Beaks centric especially after the BOYD introduction however at the end of the day the muse couldn’t think of anything new that wasn’t planning on being revealed in a later plot point. Instead I decided to go right into my Bradford vs Scrooge arch. Okay, sure I SHOULD wait for the series finale but since this is vastly different from canon I figured I’d just press on without waiting to see how it all ends (especially as there are 34 ish chapters left of this monster of a fic) This chapter will mostly be exposition to give my background on Bradford and while I took some inspiration from The First Adventure I definitely took lots of creative liberties this is an AU after all. Anyway thanks again for anyone still reading this lax regard to grammar, unconventional character dynamics and all and as always if you have any questions, comments or concerns leave me a review….</p><p>As far as Lost Cargo goes... I actually have two ideas for Kit and Molly being name dropped in regards to a backstory of a character appearing (or rather re-appearing) later in this piece so stay tuned for that....</p><p>I hope to have ONE MORE update before the series finale but if not see you on the other side</p><p>--</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>This was a quote that Bradford Buzzard lived by though it was unfortunate that the powerful people he gravitated toward didn’t adhere to it.</span>
</p><p><span>They say absolute power can corrupt and unfortunately he had witnessed </span> <span>that saying's accuracy first hand.</span></p><p>
  <span>He had always been into numbers after all no matter what country you lived in, what language you spoke the sum was always the same. No surprises, no chaos. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he got a job accounting for SHUSH fresh out of college he was honored. They were a prestigious government organization, cleaning the streets of criminal scum. But their law was full of disorder and he had some ideas as to how to make them better.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>June 1984:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Bradford could hear director Von Drake on the phone as he entered the room. He had been apologizing about missing the twins first birthday due to the fact that SHUSH had just swept up a criminal who had alluded their capture on far too many occasions to allow for them to remain in a cell unguarded, or at least that was what Bradford seemed to decipher through the directors heavy Austrian accent.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You wanted to see me sir?” Bradford asked as he slid into a seat without being offered to take one.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I believe it was you who wanted to see me Bradford. Come to give me an update on the numbers of the latest damage reports.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence as the young idealistic bird thought of the question that was asked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes and no.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes and no?” Ludwig replied with a tilt of his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I’ve noticed that whenever we go in for the capture, at the end of the day we have to pay an extravagant amount of money on repair to fix the doors we busted down or other more severe damages incurred to getting our man. Well, what if we invested some of that money into training a small sell of elite double agents so that when the time comes they can take the bad guys out from the inside.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He had a flipchart in his briefcase all prepared to show the director a full proposal for OWL however as he began to open his case up he couldn’t help but read the expression the older man was flashing at him.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Quite an ambitious idea Bradford.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Why thank you director.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Bradford’s brief glimmer of optimism however soon faded as he looked at the expression on the older bird's face.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But time is money and all the extra time not to mention resources we would need to make sure that this team of yours can flawlessly assimilate into the global criminal underbelly the ends just don’t justify the means.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Bradford wasn’t going to argue despite the fact that he had crunched the numbers and had a flowchart to prove that his idea was valid.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, thank you for your time,” the buzzard instead replied as he began to gather his belongings and stand up from his seat. It was back to pushing pencils and making price comparisons of window replacement companies however at least he tried.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>It was after that meeting with the director however that things took an interesting turn. He had drawn the honor of being the agent to bring their recent prisoner her latest meal. While most thought of Black Heron as a common criminal she had preferred to think of herself as a vigilante. Sure, she was the one causing the crimes but she had her gaze set on the greater good just like he had which made it easy for them to strike up a bond. He had told her all about OWL and she was the one who suggested adding a F for fiendish because it had a bit more pizzazz. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He allowed Heron to escape ‘accidentally’ allowing for her to network in the shadows while he kept his day job as SHUSH’s accountant however as time went on the duo had a more ambitious mark…. SCROOGE MCDUCK!</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The accident was a tragic one...a pair of eight year old twins orphaned thanks to a vehicular explosion. Bradford didn’t want to think about what would've happened if those poor children were in the car that night but as the years passed a part of him kind of wished they had perished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nephew Donald, despite his grating voice and chronic rage issues was actually a sweet kid...the niece on the other hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della was Scrooge’s mini-me always leaning over his shoulders as he plotted out his latest conquests. He was relieved for a split second when at thirteen McDuck’s valet had suggested she attended cotillion to make up for the lack of a strong female influence in her life. Unfortunately it didn’t lead to her interests shifting to things like boys and make up like he had hoped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t until another tragic accident that may or may not have been caused by Heron’s connections that things began to change for the better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The niece was gone… presumed dead and with Scrooge now being proud papa to one of her triplet sons things seemed to take a turn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bradford was pleased as he watched his bosses interest shift from globe trotting expeditions to focusing on business holdings and making tax deductible donations to help in the betterment of the community.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then that blasted Goldie O’Gilt had to ruin Bradfords’s happiness. He had wished that Scrooge just caved, let the lady take half of his earnings and be done. Instead he decided on a post nup and a year of marriage soon became five years and counting with a return to his more colorful adventures. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In less than a year's time these adventures both abroad and in their own back yard of Duckburg had been filled with enough chaotic energy to last a lifetime. Between Magica DeSpell’s shadowy attack to his failed attempt to remove Mrs. McDuck from the equation by sending Sky Pirates after her, to aliens, to the return of Della and a mysterious Step Daughter, Bradford had HAD IT!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting on his desk in the St. Canard office where he had remained since the whole ramrod incident, Bradford looked over toward the calendar where it was noted that there was a board meeting just a few days away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Bradford spoke over the phone , “Is everything in place for our Hostile Takeover?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Chapter 44</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know the last chapter was a bit meh but I kind of just wanted to share a bit of what Bradford’s background was before going into things. Like I said I can not write action scenes for the life of me so I hope that this can play as a satisfying alternative to what goes down in the finale. As for life and crimes….I have some plans for Poe DeSpell take that however you want. Also in regards to my flashback in this chapter keep in mind how earlier I commented that I was too lazy to put in the research about Duck procreation so for math’s sake and due to the fact these Duck’s are anthropomorphic I’m taking creative liberty and going with nine months….</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge was both excited and nervous about the upcoming board meeting. Excited as this would be the first meeting since Della’s return that she would be attending. His niece had served as an unofficial community liaison for the company from her late teens until she started carrying and he couldn’t wait for her to see first hand what his business had accomplished and the legacy he was leaving for her youngest. The nerves came in the form of his CFO. He hadn’t seen or heard from Bradford since that day in St.Canard and that plus the idle threat the buzzard had made well…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon there were sounds of someone approaching the study. It had to be Beakley, arriving with a pot of his favorite nutmeg tea to ease any of the multi billionaire’s concerns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking up however instead of his housekeeper, Scrooge was met with the sight of someone else holding his tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You're not Beakley,” he spoke in a deadpan tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Disappointed there Scroogie?” Goldie asked as she placed the silver platter on the desk, a playful smirk crossing her bill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge paused for a moment as if to contemplate an answer. Disappointed? Quite the opposite in fact as he was pleased to see his beautiful wife’s face in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More like pleasantly surprised, Mrs.McDuck,”  he responded letting out a slight sigh thinking about how that moniker easily rolled off his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was still so surreal at times to think of his present relationship with this impossible woman who he’d played cat and mouse with for nearly a century. Neither had ever considered themselves the marrying type in the past however fate worked in mysterious ways and next to his prized number one dime, Goldie and his kids had become his most precious treasures.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now Scrooge had removed himself from his chair and walked around the desk to pull Goldie in for a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their moment however was soon broken as another figure stood in the doorway letting out a slight coughing sound to make her presence known.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking up, Scrooge and Goldie spotted Della who had dressed for the occasion in a pair of black dress slacks and a blazer in the same shade of garnet as his favorite waistcoat he’d presently been wearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is one of your fiancé’s maniacal minions necessary lass?” Scrooge soon spoke, raising his brow at the sight of the helper bulb peering out from his niece's pocket.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as his niece looked over toward the bulb, which for a split second began to flash a glow of red until she gently brushed it with her thumb calming it down instantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s for emotional support,” Della spoke in a defensive tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the girl said this Scrooge couldn’t help but give her an understanding nod. He couldn’t imagine being lost to all the ones that he held near and dear like she had been. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sucking in a deep breath wondering if he should open up a dialogue to talk about...things… the awkward moment of silence that fell over the trio was soon interrupted as Della spoke up once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Uncle Scrooge, what’s on the agenda for the meeting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Scrooge replied glad that the subject remained on business as he never knew what to do when it came to emotional stuff, “There is a shipping company based in Cape Suzette that’s been in a perpetual state of foreclosure which I think would be a perfect addition to my holdings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another moment of silence began to fill the room as it seemed that both his niece and wife had been processing thoughts on the subject.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you want me to run it?” Della asked which was a valid question after all she was a pilot so why wouldn’t he want her front and center to run a cargo company. It was clear that Goldie had jumped to the same conclusion as her hand flew to slap him in the back of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scroogie! You JUST got her back...do you really want to lose her again? Not to mention your top scientist and my favorite great nephew?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge watched his wife as she turned to Della and in a whisper added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t mention that last part to Dewey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger of the two women nodded as soon both pairs of eyes were once more shooting daggers at Scrooge and putting him on the spot. Shoving his hands nervously into his coat pockets he shook his head. No, he hadn’t planned to put Della in charge of the company but who he had in mind well, would probably be much more controversial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was actually thinking about offering the company to Ma Beagle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scroogie!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle Scrooge!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both ladies shouted at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, she is quite a savvy woman and being in charge of a legitimate business will keep her and her boys off the street, not to mention getting her off my back about the town deed. I earned that square.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He observed as both women looked between themselves before turning back to her trying to continue to process this bombshell however before either of them could speak, Duckworth apperated into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. McDuck, the car is waiting.” the spirit said before turning toward Della, a smile crossing his face, “Looking fierce Miss Della.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, maybe now that old Buzzard will realize I’m not the ditz he thinks I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Duckworth just nodded before disappearing as quickly as he showed up causing Scrooge to look over toward the platter that had sat on the desk. Well, so much for having a soothing cup of tea while collecting his thoughts he pondered to himself as he watched Della leave the room, assumingly heading out toward the limo leaving him and Goldie alone for one final moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go get em Scroogie,” she said with a flirtatious smirk as she playfully gave his backside a light smack causing his cheeks to flush slightly allowing his mind to fall into a state of sentimental mush for a solid minute before getting his head back into the game.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The ride from the manor to the bin was a quiet one...well, mostly anyway. He’d been looking over the latest facts and figures of his various holdings while his niece had her own methods of psyching herself up as she sat by his side with headphones on. It was both endereering and distracting as every so often the girl began to sing along under her breath though honestly it was part of her charm and something that he had greatly missed in her absence.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>As they entered the bin, Scrooge couldn’t help but feel a slight chill. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Winter Is Coming” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bradford’s voice echoed in Scrooge’s mind still trying to process just what that meant as he nearly walked right into an impeccably dressed Hawk that was standing imposingly just inside the boardroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you have your enemies Uncle Scrooge,” Della spoke in a lowered tone, “But I didn’t think it was this bad that you needed a bodyguard to protect company secrets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the first I’m seeing him lass,” Scrooge whispered back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was at that moment that Scrooge noticed that this imposing Hawk was standing next to Bradford. Why did his CFO feel the need to hire muscle? Did this have to do with what plans he did or did not have? No, Scrooge didn’t need to be distracted now though perhaps a distraction was what Bradford had wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, Scrooge soon took a seat at the head of the boardroom table, Della to one side and his trusted confidant and administrative assistant Emily Quackfaster to his other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shuffling of paperwork soon filled the air as fellow members of the McDuck enterprises administrative board took their own seats. Once everyone was settled in, note taking devices of choice set down in front of them, Quackfaster turned toward Scrooge with a slight nod of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Scrooge nodded back, the older bird adjusted her glasses as she pulled out a steno pad and pen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any old business?” she asked as Scrooge let a smile cross his bill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For those of you not present in our last meeting a miracle has happened and my niece Della has returned to us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” Della said with a wave of her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve invited her to sit in on today's meeting in the hopes that her brilliant mind could give us a fresh perspective to help us stay on the cutting edge of innovation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bradford soon let out a slight cough that did not go unnoticed to the business owner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something caught in your throat there Bradford?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While the Buzzard took a sip of water and the Hawk sat just as stoic there were a few questions asked by other members of the board. Scrooge watched as Della was asked a barrage of questions ranging from the subject of her time on the moon to if she could disclose any information on what secret projects Gyro had been working on. He could tell from the look in her eyes that some questions made her nervous and overwhelmed however he was proud at the way that she took it like a champ.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any New Business,” Quackfaster’s words filled the air and as Scrooge continued to look at his niece with an feeling of pride he briefly allowed for his mind to wander.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>October 1982:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Scrooge looked around the table at the members of his board. The Eighties were going to be a thriving decade for the company; he could feel it in his gut. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Okay, any new business?” He asked turning toward his brother in law, thinking that while many thought it nepotism that the Duck was seated by his side as company CFO it wasn’t the case. Quackmore Duck not only held degrees in business and finance but he had a bit of a secret weapon. His sister Daphne had a bit of a lucky streak and had a sixth sense in being able to spot what was about to become the next big thing which gave Scrooge a leg up on the competition. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Quackmore sat in silence as if lost in a wave of thoughts before finally nodding his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hortense is with eggs,” the man spoke in a proud yet whispered tone causing Scrooge to slightly lower his jaw.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>His baby sister, having babies of her own! He was going to be an Uncle! It was never something he had ever considered. A new generation to carry on his legacy...not that he planned on leaving this earth anytime soon. </em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>If only Quackmore could see Della, charming the board or Donald successfully running a business of his own he would be proud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d been lost for too long in these thoughts that as Scrooge was about to take the floor to talk about his proposal he noticed Bradford had beat him to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have some new business.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Proceed,” Quackfaster replied, allowing for Scrooge and the others to turn their attention toward the buzzard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The harsh truth is that while McDuck enterprises has been thriving in many sectors, over the past ten months since the Shadow War our stocks have reached a bit of a plateau. Honestly it’s to be expected as Mr. McDuck has had a lot on his plate. Between Miss Duck over here returning from the moon and its inhabitants trying to conquer earth, to a mysterious step daughter showing up on his doorstep practically out of thin air….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the reference to Dickie, Scrooge could swear that Bradford shot him a wink from across the table however he continued to listen to what his colleague had to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...his family has become a bit of a distraction. Now, I know that Mr. McDuck wants his son to be his successor however in its current state I fear the company may not last long if we don’t act now. I know this might be a bit controversial however I would like to put onto the table a vote for Scrooge McDuck to take an early retirement and step down from the role of company CEO so that he can focus more on his family and for Falcon Graves to become his successor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scrooge looked from the Buzzard to the Hawk and back again not believing the words that were coming out of his mouth. He trusted Bradford to help him maintain the business that he built up with his own blood sweat and tears and to be betrayed like this...well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t listen to this mutinous miscreant,” Scrooge replied, “I’m Scrooge McDuck I’m sharper than the sharpies tougher than the toughies and smarter than the smarties and I don’t plan on retiring until I’m pushing up daisies or until my son turns twenty one...the latter most likely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about me?” He heard Della reply standing up, “I’m at least family, I could take over as an interim…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YOU have a Bachelor's Degree in mechanics from online correspondence courses, hardly the credentials to run a company,” Bradford spoke in a condescending tone, “Graves here has earned his MBA from Mouseton University.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And where did you go to school again Mr. McDuck?” Graves asked with a raised brow speaking for the first time and catching Scrooge off guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What I lack in a fancy, formal and might I just add ridiculously overpriced education I have in my decades of experience.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another moment of silence as Scrooge watched Graves raise a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, like Bradford said, why don’t we put it to a vote, see what the rest of your shareholders have to say. Do they want to stick with the status quo or keep moving forward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the members of his board began to nod their heads in agreement to this vote a small part of him began to feel a tinge of nervousness...they wouldn’t actually consider voting him out of running his own company now would they?</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The results were in, it was a tie, 50% of his board members did actually want him to step down. Sure, they had commented that there were no hard feelings, that they just felt that fresh blood would help the company progress however Scrooge still couldn’t help but take their choices personally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Well, that takes care of that,” Della replied with a smile as she clasped her hands together, “My Uncle’s still CEO and we can move on to more important business which will actually turn a profit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Scrooge took in the optimism of his niece's voice however it was a truth universally acknowledged that a tie didn’t mean a majority and no majority meant that he hadn’t been out of the woods just yet. He had known that in case of a tie they had a ‘ghost’ shareholder on standby to cast the deciding vote. He had no knowledge of who this stockholder was, only Quackfaster. As he watched his assistant dial this person's number, Scrooge hoped that their alliance was favorable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next few minutes seemed to drag on in slow motion as Scrooge’s eyes as well as the eyes of everyone in the room began to turn toward the woman on the phone. As Quackfaster placed the receiver down, he knew that for better or worse his fate was sealed and from the look in her eyes as they turned to meet him he knew in an instant it was in fact for the worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Mr. McDuck.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm 90% sure this will be it until after The Last Adventure! Airs so see you all on the flip side<br/>Don't cry because it's over---smile because it happened<br/>We still have this and the many many other amazing fanfics in this community to look forward to not to mention this seven episode podcast I'm hearing rumors about<br/>once again thanks to everyone who has left comments and kudos it means a lot to me and keeps me motivated</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Chapter 45</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. That finale was one hell of a ride huh? I had assumed the whole May and June being clones from Webby angle from preview screenshots but I did NOT see the Webby being Scrooge’s test tube baby happening which makes the fact that I have her be his daughter via adoption in this little corner of the world much more interesting. That said, I know there is discourse about shipping Webby with one of the Triplets now because they are canon cousins and insest is bad which makes me worry about what people think of Weblena in this verse. I’m hoping the fact that they are Scrooge and Donald’s respective daughters via adoption vs being biological relations will help to fan the flames.  Finale talk aside, one of the ‘episodes’ of this fic I had planned had always been a “Fantasy” chapter or an “AU within an AU” if you would in which in a moment loosely inspired by the episode Quack Pack Della makes an unexpected wish and there is a “What If” scenario and we have reached that point. The format of this chapter is obviously different so hopefully different is good. Thanks again to all the readers out there whether you are new to the program or have been along for the ride for a while your kudos and reviews mean the world to me and even just commenting with a one word adjective vs a full blown constructive critique helps to feed my muse.</p><p>````</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Opening her eyes Della looked over toward the empty space in the bed beside her brushing a hand gently against the pillow longing for a time when her and her husband's sleep schedules matched up as she missed waking up tangled in his arms. Letting out a soft sigh she was suddenly met with a sharp pain in one of her legs just above the knee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leg day am I right?” she muttered to herself internally chuckling as she gently massaged the ache with her hand for a moment before climbing out of bed. She could smell the pleasant aroma of fresh brewed coffee in the air and as her eyes gazed at the clock she had known that she still had time to greet her husband before he left for the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following the heavenly scent toward the kitchen, she couldn’t help but allow for her eyes to glance at the various photos and decor that had adorned the wall. From photos of family vacations to her children’s school portraits to a hand crafted sign touting </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘the doctors are in’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>which always brought a smile toward her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doctor Della Gearloose, it still just felt so surreal to say it or think it or see it plastered on the door to her office but there she was. After her little adventure in space on the Spear of Selene was a rousing success she had briefly wondered what could be a more ambitious feat than that. Raising three kids while both you and your husband work toward a PHD wound up being that adventure. There were highs and lows but in the end she knew her and her husband were all the more closer because of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speaking of her husband, Della soon rounded the corner toward the kitchen where Gyro stood filling up a thermos of coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey you,” she said, crossing the kitchen, “early morning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Late night,” Gyro replied as Della placed her hand on her husband's shoulder, noticing the way that he winced slightly, causing her to roll her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it you weren't in the office grading papers?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gyro simply shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beagles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her husband had been an asset to McDuck Enterprises. Her Uncle’s top scientist and head of his research and development think tank since they first met as teens. Then, a few years into their marriage there were circumstances that caused him to walk away from it all. Now, Doctor Gyro Gearloose was one of the most popular professors at Duckburg University with a waitlist of students wanting to take his lectures and labs...well by day anyway. By night he was simply known as Gizmoduck, changing the world which had always been his life's ambition ever since she knew her. Sure being a vigilante was dangerous and wouldn’t one day earn him a Nobel Prize but it definitely suited him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your arm?” Della asked, moving her hand away as she began to pour her own cup of coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just a minor bruise it will patch itself right up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a good thing you're cute, you know that?” Della soon teased as Gyro tauntingly rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Family Night Friday at Funzo’s to make it up to you?” Gyro asked as he gave her a peck on her cheek before walking toward the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She simply smiled back as he soon left, leaving her alone but not for long. Soon four pairs of feet could be heard shuffling toward the kitchen and soon four young birds entered the room all dressed identically in school uniforms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care if you have a crush on her Hue, she promised to be my partner for the Junior Woodchuck Fall Field Day.” This declaration came from the sole female of the group. The youngest member of the Gearloose family, their daughter Tilly. Tilly...short for Matilda was three years younger than the triplets and had her fathers chicken-like features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do NOT have a crush on Vi,” one of the boys spoke as he crossed his arms over his chest. Even though the boys looked eerily identical in their school uniforms their voices, hairstyle, and ways they carried themselves made them easily identifiable and so even with her back turned in the moment, Della could easily tell it was Huey speaking in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, then why are your cheeks turning as red as your favorite hat huh?” Dewey replied with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh boy, it is way too early for this,” her third son Louie added before turning toward the kitchen island. “Mom can I have a cup of coffee?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not until you're thirteen kiddo,” Della replied with a shake of her head as she placed their breakfasts in front of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle Scrooge would have let us have coffee I bet,” Louie muttered under his breath causing a round of gasps to be heard from the others at the table as if the youngest triplet had said something scandalous which honestly he kind of had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell me we were related to Scrooge McDuck? Why did I have to find it out on the internet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the young girl began to speak Della couldn’t help but freeze in the moment. She could see her sons chattering away to their sister however while their beaks were moving, Della couldn’t hear a thing instead she began to feel that same pain in her leg that she did when she woke up. Reaching to rub the irritated spot to try to soothe it once more she swore she felt a coldness and as she looked down for a brief moment she could have sworn she saw a prosthetic in its place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I spent my childhood traversing the globe going on adventure after adventure. And while traveling like that would be any child...heck any adults wildest dream there was always a small part of me that longed for some stability.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, Della didn’t know if she even believed the words that were coming out of her mouth as her head began to pound. She was supposed to head to her job at the Duckburg Planetarium after the kids were off to school but perhaps she’d call in… just this once...chalk it up to a mental health day though in the moment she didn’t know why she had a sudden need for one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom,” Huey asked, a genuine look of concern in the older triplets eyes, “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s probably just anxious about dad patrolling as Gizmoduck,” Dewey spoke in between bites of cereal as he was met with glares from his three siblings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geez Louise! Mother Mary! Pete The Dragon!,” Tilly exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young girl's words gave Della a sense of Deja Vu thinking about how that was how Webby reacted when she came back from the moon after almost twelve years. Wait...no...she was never actually on the moon just in a spatial  orbit for four months….and who was Webby?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FIRST I find out that I’m related to THE Scrooge McDuck and then I find out GIZMODUCK is my FATHER!!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but just stand there and smile as Tilly continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I tell Violet about Dad? Can we have a Family Dinner at McDuck Manor? I’ve always wondered what it looked like inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching as Huey placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Superheroes have secret identities for reasons which is why I’m sure Dewey wasn’t supposed to know about it in the first place and which is why I’m sure he’ll be sitting the four of us down for a lecture on discretion when he gets home from work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger bird paused to ponder for a moment before nodding her head once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what about Scrooge? When can I meet him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom hasn’t spoken to him since Uncle Donald’s funeral.” Huey replied, “Which is why we don’t normally talk about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Huey glared daggers at Louie and Tilly’s voice rang out asking ‘Who Was Uncle Donald?’ Della began to think about just why Gyro hadn’t been working for her Uncle and why Tilly didn’t know about their relationship. The boys were three at the time, her daughter still an egg when her beloved twin brother Donald got swept up in a storm and was lost at sea. Scrooge spent a solid month calling in every resource he had to aid in the search before deciding to declare his nephew dead and hold a memorial service. He was the richest duck in the world so surely Scrooge could try harder!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No No No No</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s not how it happened… Donald was never supposed to die but then she wasn’t supposed to die either. She came back so why couldn’t Donald come back. Waves of scrambled memories began to flash in her head soon to be accompanied by voices.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Della”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Come on sis wake up!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was then that one last flash bulb seemed to go off in Della’s mind. She’d been examining a cavern of treasure like one does on a McDuck family adventure while holding a casual conversation with her brother and uncle.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Life has been great the past few months. But sometimes and I know it’s stupid but I wish I could get a glimpse of what life would be like if the Spear of Selene never lost contact and I returned home as planned.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Little had Della known in the moment that her pinky had been brushing against a lamp that held a genie who would gladly oblige and grant her wish.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was then that Della’s eyes began to flutter open as she looked over toward her brother and uncle with a confused expression on her face.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Della dear do you know where you are.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I suggested that me, you and Donald, go on an adventure together. The original three! To cheer you up after that Buzzard stole your company out from right under you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She could see an almost relieved look in the two mens eyes as she began to move into a seated position however Donald’s hand gently resting on her shoulder prevented her from doing so. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Anyway I had the strangest dream.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Let me guess Dell...I was there and Scrooge was there and…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Actually you were lost to the sea as I was lost to space Don, and Scrooge and me well…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Donald nodded thinking about his own feelings he had towards Scrooge after the Spear of Selene and how if it weren't for his promise to make sure that Dewey had been raised to be close to his cousins well he was sure he would iced his uncle out of his life.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was then that Della couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Gyro was Gizmoduck,” she couldn’t help but blurt out continuing to chuckle thinking that while Scrooge had known the heroes true identity had actually been Fenton she hadn’t known if that tidbit of knowledge had reached her brother's ear.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“That Stalactite must have been a nuisance to your noggin. Rest up lass. We’ll help you out of this cavern and get Launchpad to fly us home.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Chapter 46</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Webby had spent three quarters of her life living in McDuck manor and half of it being the daughter of the great Scrooge McDuck himself and still at times it felt like a dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A week ago, when she turned on the television and had been met with the business channel showing the breaking news of Scrooge McDuck being ousted as CEO of McDuck Enterprises it honestly took her a solid ten minutes before the harsh realization hit her that they were talking about her dad… her family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the moment the manor was eerily still. Her dad was on his way home from an adventure, her mom was doing some museum business, her ‘granny’ was at the market picking up ingredients for dinner, and Louie was with Violet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure, she could have easily joined her brother and Violet, or hung out at the Gearloose Brownstone with Huey, Dewey and Lena, or even took a stroll to the guest house to see what Dickie and Penny were up to but she kind of liked the solitude. There was just something about being alone in the massive mansion with only the sporadic apparition of Duckworth to keep her company that relaxed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Descending the main staircase and making her way past the ornate front door, the young girl couldn’t help but close her eyes reflecting on the day she arrived.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>August 2010:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Ahh Betina, I’m so glad that you agreed to come.” Webby heard a man speak from where she stood behind her granny. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Today she was moving into her new home which was much bigger and scarier than the cottage she used to live in and she didn’t know if she liked it.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well, you did save my life that one time….”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Both adults looked at one another causing them to break out into a bout of laughter. Webby didn’t get the joke. And how could that man possibly have saved her granny? Her granny was the strongest toughest person she knew! Of course she was the only person that Webby knew so she had nobody to compare.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Still, thank you for allowing your next act in life to be Lewellen’s governess. No child of mine should be subjected to a public education and the ridiculous amount of money my nephew Gyro is willingly spending on his son's education makes me break out in hives.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“That’s what friends are for. Besides I was going to have to homeschool Webbigail anyway.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence as the small girl watched the man gaze over towards her before taking a knee so that he could get down to her level.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And what a lovely lass she is,” the man spoke as he held out his hand toward her. “Hello Webbigail darling, I’m Scrooge McDuck.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Holding her Quacky Patch doll close to her chest she gave the man a lingering gaze. On the one hand she was told never to talk to strangers and this man spoke with an accent stranger than that of her granny. On the other hand if he was a friend of her grandmother then surely he could be trusted and so she held out her hand for him to take. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hi,” she replied with a shy smile.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know, I have a lad your age, I’m sure the two of you will become the best of friends.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Lewellen?” She said in a tone that was as much a statement as it was a question. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I prefer Louie,” a new voice spoke as she turned her eyes toward the staircase where a young boy dressed in an oversized green hoodie began to move in her direction. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hi, I’m Webby… do you like tea parties? It would be nice to have one with someone besides my granny and my dollies for a change.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The boy shrugged back his shoulders.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Does it HAVE to be tea or can it be Pep instead?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I think we can make special arrangements for our guest of honor can’t we?” She asked her doll, moving the piece of cloth's head so it nodded in a response.</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>A smile crossed her lips as she thought about how far she’d come from the timid little girl clinging to her dolls like a security blanket to the young woman capable of holding her own in a fight she was now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Physical violence however would not solve the problem of Bradford Buzzard’s hostile takeover of her fathers company and so instead the girl decided to focus on the positive as she took her seat on the bench of the piano that sat in the far corner of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t the most musically gifted member of the family. Dewey could read music almost as early as he could read the written word, Donald was in a band, her mother had even been a saloon girl with ambition to walk the boards in another lifetime. However she just liked to play for fun.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sounds of the rude world heard in the day</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A voice soon joined in harmonizing with her causing her to smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lulled by the moonlight have all passed away </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Da!” She exclaimed, tossing her arms around her fathers neck. She had known he was due to be home that day however she’d never been given a proper ETA.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was beautiful Webbigail darling,” her father said, placing a kiss on her cheek, “I didn’t know you were playing again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never stopped,” she spoke before swiveling around in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. “So, how did spelunking with Donald and Della go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aside from your cousin getting mildly concussed it was a passable distraction.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Distraction, Webby thought as she nodded to herself. She was glad that it seemed that her father had a good time even if one of the cousins was injured. Assumingly it was Donald she had seen him get back up many times and as for Della if she survived all those years on the moon she could survive anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Scrooge’s fingers soon began to haphazardly move against the piano keys briefly before the girl drew her father back into the reality around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what are we going to do now? The company was your legacy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re my legacy sweetheart ” Scrooge said ruffling his daughter's hair, “as is your brother and as long as I have you...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby nodded silently, her father didn’t need to say more. Anyway, just because Graves was now in charge of the day to day of the company didn’t mean they were planning to lose the life they’d been accustomed to any time soon. And perhaps, in the meantime she could make some lemonade out of life’s lemons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, since you have more time on your hands not needing to be in the boardroom I’ve been thinking. Perhaps we could go pay nan and granda a visit?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At her suggestion the young girl couldn’t help but notice the way her father looked at her with a raised brow after all Castle McDuck was shrouded in mists that only cleared every few years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been talking with Lena and Violet and we found a spell that can manipulate the mists at will. And I mean if it fails we could still have an epic Father/Daughter trip. You, me, Dickie….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then a familiar chuckle could be heard as Goldie entered the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d pay good money to see the looks on Fergus and Downy’s faces when they find out we spawned a child together Scroogie even if technically she is from another dimension.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I missed you Goldie Girl,” Scrooge simply replied as he stood up to sweep his wife into a kiss causing Webby to cover her eyes. It wasn’t that she disliked PDA or the fact that it was her parents expressing it, she just figured they needed a private moment and so she obliged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Webby spoke when her parents finally pulled away from one another, “how was the museum meeting? Any exciting exhibits on the horizon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish,” Goldie spoke slumping down onto the bench beside her daughter. “No, Emma Glamour has decided to make this year's IT LIST Gala into a Halloween Masquerade. She has these grandiose ideas but is cutting it close to get it done. Lucky her assistant has the patience of a saint.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby couldn’t help but nod thinking about how Lena and Dewey talked highly about the budding fashionista who had stolen her cousin Donald’s heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously though, Della is lucky that things never got serious with Glamor’s son when she was younger. I can not imagine having that woman as a mother in law.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby gave her mother a fascinated look as soon her father flashed the woman a shocked look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean you didn’t know she was seeing Mark Beaks when she was barely older than Webby is now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby couldn’t even begin to think about dating in the moment even though at times just the thought of Lena caused butterflies to enter her stomach despite the fact that soon they technically would be family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Why did things have to be so complicated?’ She thought to herself as her brother's voice soon filled the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Louie spoke in shock, “Mark Beaks could have been my bio dad? Not the conversation I thought I’d be walking into.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby watched as her brother shook his head side to side trying to process just what was being said as her mom began to pout.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never meant to break niece/surrogate aunt confidentiality. But he was her partner when she was taking cotillion and they shared a kiss before he shipped off to boarding school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Webby and the rest of the family continued to process Goldie’s words further however it was clear that the subject was due for a change from Glamour’s divadom and Della’s love life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Webby finally said after the silence went on for a good five minutes. “What were you up to with Violet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Webby soon watched her parents look toward Louie with a raised brow. Did they think he had romantic feelings toward her friend...oh my god DID he have romantic feelings toward her friend! The bookish hummingbird wasn’t at all who she pictured Louie being into but opposites did attract she supposed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then that Webby watched as Louie opened up the bag he’d been carrying and soon pulled out a book.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Violet used her fathers faculty ID to get us into the University Law Library,” Louie spoke with a cunning smile, “if there is a way to get McDuck Enterprises back into McDuck control I’m going to find it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young girl couldn’t help but smile at her brother's determination as he had begun to excitedly go over his findings so far. It was rare that Louie relied on books versus his intuition and it was clear that he had meant business in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she continued to watch the boy chatter to their parents she thought that it was a universal truth that McDucks do not back down and so she knew without a shadow of a doubt that things would work themselves out in the end.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Chapter 47</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay hopefully in a post-Ducktales world people are still enjoying this journey that I’m taking you on. With this chapter I started with TBD then evolved into wanting this chapter to focus on a flashback of Selene meeting Fenton’s Mom and then things turned into a bit of some Say Yes To The Dress Fun!!! Enjoy (ps blame google if my Spanish is off)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>One of the things Selene enjoyed the most when she left Ithaquack to head down to earth was the fashion. All the fabrics, colors, textures… well it was portable works of art as far as the moon goddess was concerned. To this end being at Duckburg’s premier bridal shop was practically like going to a gallery for the Ibis. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at the other three people in her present group, Selene had assumed things would be simple. She honestly suspected the first dress Gladstone touched would not so shockingly end up being Della’s dream dress and then they would all head to starducks for coffee...well, cocoa in Penny’s case. However, the dress that Della was standing in at the present moment wasn’t that dress, in fact it was something the goddess had suggested though if you asked it looked much nicer on the rack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not well versed in earth fashion,” Penumbra said motioning to the joggers and t-shirt she had been wearing in the moment, “but is it missing a layer to it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looks like something you’d wear after the wedding,” Dickie spoke, a slight flush crossing her face as she stood up to look at the price tag of the silken garment adorning her cousin. “Though the price tag has far too many digits for this to be just something Gyro rips off before ravishing you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ravishing me?” Della asked, her cheeks soon flushing just as red if not more so .</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry for using such colorful language,” Dickie replied, “I recently found Beakley’s stash of romance novels and couldn’t put them down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene couldn’t help but raise a brow at the younger ducks words. Sure, through the years she hadn’t gotten to know Betina Beakley as close as other members of the family however she just couldn’t picture the tough as nails former spy reading romantic novels. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I guess everyone needs a way to unwind </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought to herself as she raised her shoulders in a shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On the rack it reminded me of Ithaquack-ian style, but actually on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looks like I’m wearing a nightgown not a wedding gown.” Della said in a matter of fact tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene simply nodded at her friend’s response to the dress. This was only the first pull and she knew while they couldn’t all be winners there would definitely be something in the mix that would be befitting of her bestie.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>As Della retreated back into the fitting room, Selene couldn’t help but observe her companions. Penny awkwardly was fidgeting in her seat, Dickie was looking at her phone laughing at something and Gladstone simply flashed her a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Had she only picked my choice first…” he began to say when suddenly, “...oooh twenty dollars.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene simply rolled her eyes at her friend. He was a narcissistic jerk but he was her narcissistic jerk and honestly he was a much better companion than Dionysus ever was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he always like this?” Dickie questioned looking up from her phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene couldn’t help but nod as she shrugged back her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s part of his charm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was in this moment a rustling sound could be heard as Della soon stepped out of the fitting room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While at least this time her friend's dress looked more like a ball gown than a nightgown it was still NOT what anyone had expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dells,” Gladstone was the first to respond to dress number two with a raised brow and his arms crossed, “you do know this dress is for a wedding right and not a funeral.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Selene looked at the black gown adorned with golden stars she simply shook her head at her friends comment however before she could speak Dickie did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what funerals are like on this earth but on mine that is way too fancy. Anyway does it come in white because honestly Della you look A-Maze-Ing!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That she does freckles,” Penumbra said nodding in agreement as she looked from Della to Dickie and back again. Selene couldn’t help but to notice the slight flush on the moonlanders cheek as she spoke, it was the same flush she had on her own whenever she was with Fenton. Turning from the obviously smitten moonlander to her friend the goddess could see just how excited she was about the gown. Sure, it wasn’t a conventional wedding dress but when was Della ever a conventional person and she was prepared to bring that argument up to Gladstone when he began his critique in three….two…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This actually isn’t for the wedding.” Della soon started with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as soon the bride to be let out a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For Emma Glamor’s IT List Gala! I probably should've tried this on when I was done picking out a wedding dress.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The IT List Gala!” Gladstone exclaimed, “no offense but as someone whose extreme luck has only warranted an invite twice, I doubt being Scrooge McDuck’s recently resurrected niece is clout enough to snag an invite”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene watched Della’s jaw dropped at their friends words. Sure, it was just Gladstone being Gladstone but that was harsh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well ACTUALLY,” Della spoke with a biting tone which honesty was to be expected, “Don has been seeing Glamour’s assistant for a little over a month and since she’s the one in charge of making the guest list she added him as well as me and Fenton to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene watched as Gladstone raised a curious brow at the mention of Donald dating Glamor’s assistant. He had mentioned once in passing a few years ago that he had a new girlfriend in the fashion industry...that couldn't have been Daisy right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why Fenton and not the soon to be Mr. Della?” Penumbra asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smirk crossed Della’s bill as it was clear she had been highly amused by the nickname that the moonlander had bestowed on her fiancé.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gyro had a prior commitment chaperoning Huey to an out of town Quiz Bowl Tournament.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The three of you should of been there in the lab. Gyro looks across the room and in the most deadpan tone says: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Assistant! It is your job to assist me in escorting my fiancé to the ball.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was a spot on Gyro impression,” Dickie spoke holding out her phone, “can you do it again so I can record it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene simply shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also are you okay with Della being alone with Fenton you know after…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene knew just what the young Duck had been referring to as she shook her head soon observing Della as she took this moment to turn back towards the fitting room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And on that note I promise to come out in an actual wedding dress that doesn’t look like overpriced negligee next time.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>As Della left, Selene noticed Penny and Gladstone’s eyes became locked onto her and Dickie as if the two of them had been locked out of some kind of inside joke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing, Della just had a weird fantasy where Gyro had taken the mantle of Gizmoduck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oooh, go on,” Gladstone spoke clearly wanting to hear the latest bit of intrigue however there was nothing to tell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean Della did help draw up early drafts of the armor while nesting so it’s only natural that in a world where she was never trapped on the moon Gyro would be the man underneath it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene watched as the others accepted her words however even if they hadn’t she didn’t want to continue to talk about what if’s and if onlys and so she decided to keep the subject on Fenton but to twist it a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of Fenton though, I never thought I’d have such an emotional attachment to a mortal. Sure, my brother and I have been friends with Della and Donald since they were younger than her boys are now and they introduced me to their cousin Gladstone a few years later...but Fenton….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your smitten aren’t you,” Dickie spoke in a singsong tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Smitten doesn’t even begin to describe… he introduced me to his mother as his girlfriend!”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>One Week Ago:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene couldn’t believe that this had been going on for four months. Sneaking away from Zeus’s gaze to travel to Duckburg. Normally they would go out to Starducks, or the Wine Bar… sometimes she’d even sit in the lab watching him and once she even got in on the action as Gizmoduck’s Celestial Sidekick but this time was different.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I know it’s not the palace of the gods but it’s better than crashing in the lab,” Fenton spoke with a smile as he waved her into the modest two bedroom home. </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It had an aesthetic to it that was definitely much more warm and homey than the manor or Gladstone’s and that definitely suited him. Along the walls and adorning the mantle was a hodgepodge of various brick a brack as well as family photos and the occasional school science award.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You were a cute kid,” Selene spoke as she stopped in front of a photo of Fenton at probably fifteen or sixteen which caused him to blush.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“If by cute you mean awkward. Though I suppose I never did grow out of that phase.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene watched as Fenton lent against the wall nearly losing his balance and tipping over. As he regained his composure however she couldn’t help but allow for her eyes to fall on another photo.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Is that your dad?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was no answer at least not one of a verbal nature as instead Selene watched as Fenton slowly nodded his head.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You look just like him.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“More and more everyday,” a third voice spoke causing the goddess to jump and her companion to look shocked.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I thought you’d be at the station all night.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Pollito didn’t you get my note? I swapped shifts. Sure, this means I’ll be working a double but maybe it was meant to be to get to meet this hermosa dama you’ve brought home.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Selene couldn’t help but to flush a bit herself as she had been put on the spot.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hi, I’m Selene, it’s an honor to meet you Miss….”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Miss...no,” the older duck said, hanging up her jacket and placing her badge down onto a table, “please call me Maria. Anyway Fenton when did you meet her, how long has this been going on and more importantly how serious is it?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The goddess could sense Fenton had been tense from his mother’s barrage of questions and she knew if roles were reversed and Zeus cared enough to give her the third degree about her scientist she’d be feeling the same way.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“She is a friend of Della…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Your boss's fiancé?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes ma’ma, Doctor Gearloose’s fiancé. Anyway she came into the lab one day and it was love at first site… well if that even exists.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Of course amor a primera vista exists, I felt the same way when I met your father. So she’s your…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Girlfriend?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>The way the word came out of Fenton’s mouth sent a chill down the goddesses spine. They had never talked about putting any label on things before though she supposed considering the fact that she was the goddess of the moon it was an unspoken word that they were keeping things….</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yes ma’ma.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>...casual.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Was I interrupting a date night because I can go swing by Hamburger Hippo, give the two of you some privacy.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“No,” Selene spoke with a friendly smile, “I mean I guess you could call what we were on a date but I’d love for you to stay and tell me all the most embarrassing stories of Fenton’s childhood”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Talk about a long distance relationship,” Dickie chimed in her eyes giving Penny a passing gaze that didn’t go unnoticed by the Ibis as soon shuffling sounded and soon Della reappeared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked...well words couldn’t describe how the duck looked in the moment. The dress she was wearing was both nothing like anything her friend would wear and yet perfectly befitting of her at the same time though she supposed that didn’t make much sense outside her own head. With a cap sleeved bodice made of an intricate lace and a full skirt of the same lace overlay her friend looked exquisite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In this moment if we pulled a stranger off the street and asked who the goddess was they would point to you in a heartbeat Del.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think Gyro is an even luckier man than Mr. Golden Goose over here”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“HEY!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freckles is right, you look like the brightest star in all the galaxy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene watched as Della’s smile seemed to brighten and there was even more of a radiant glow to her as each complement filled the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe this is really happening….no Della...you promised yourself you wouldn’t cry…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Selene handed the bride to be a handkerchief as a small drizzle of happy tears began to fall despite her friends' protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, this is a yes right?” Gladstone asked, breaking the emotional moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a yes! Gladstone have you ever considered becoming a stylist professionally because your taste is impeccable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As much as sharing my gifts would be an asset for the greater good, I get more joy just keeping them among friends and family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just don’t want to put in the work,” Dickie said with a roll of her eye causing Selene as well as Della to chuckle slightly though the Goose tried his best to ignore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,what about bridesmaids dresses.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The laughter stopped as Selene’s face perked up… she definitely had some ideas that she couldn’t wait to lay out on the table.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Chapter 48</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay so the idea of the party scenes in the next two chapters have been an event that I’ve had on my timeline since early on and I’m excited to finally get to this point…let’s set the stage Halloween Night, fancy dresses, people in masks and of course what is life in Duckburg without the occasional drama…</p><p>Again I hope you are enjoying this little corner of the world </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Donald placed his car into park as he lingered in the driveway observing the throngs of trick or treaters milling about the neighborhood causing him to shake his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Halloween was always his son’s favorite holiday, the thought of pretending to be someone other than yourself for one night of the year was the best thing ever...that was until he discovered the Duckburg Junior High theater department and learned that he could pretend to be someone else more than just one day a year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Dewey was spending his Halloween Night in St. Canard along with Lena and Gosalyn while Donald was still pretending to be someone he wasn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being the nephew of Scrooge McDuck and Great Great Grandson of Cornelius Coot being a member of high society was literally in his blood and yet as he stepped out of his well loved vehicle he couldn’t help but wonder if he should have sprung for a limo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he arrived toward the door he began to reach for the bell before hesitating a moment and giving a slight knock instead. As the door opened Donald couldn’t help but take in the woman who was standing in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow!” He spoke, speechless as to what else he could even say as he looked her up and down. The black and gold gown looked like it was tailor made just for her and the way her hair was curled and then pulled up to the side really pulled it all together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully your girlfriend gets the same reaction as you’re  giving me Don,” Della said with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he’d always been a romantic sap at heart he never thought he’d ever have a girlfriend and honestly he was still getting used to the concept in his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, you clean up pretty good yourself, definitely better than flannel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with flannel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, for starters this isn’t the 90s anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fashion is cyclical, ask Daisy she’ll tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That only applies to GOOD Fashion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like your aviator jacket?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched as his sister's eyes flared into him like daggers before breaking out into a laugh. Oh had he missed that laugh in all the years that she’d been gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s so funny Della.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment so silent you could hear a pin drop before his sister spoke up again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just mom would have been so proud of us going out on Halloween looking like twins.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning toward the small mirror that stood in the hall, Donald couldn’t help but take in his sisters words before he looked at their reflection, a slight smile on his bill as he thought back to the last Halloween they had before the accident.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>October 1990:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Looking at his sister standing across from him the seven year old boy shook his head. He thought nothing could be more embarrassing than the matching sailor suits their parents dressed them in on their last trip to visit their nan and granda but at least those were tolerable.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I could just eat ye up!” their mother, Hortense spoke as she pulled the grey felt cap off of Della’s head beginning to ruffle her hair a bit.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You know I’m not actually a shaker of salt mom, and who would actually eat salt on its own anyway?” Della asked with a roll of her eyes.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Yea, couldn’t we at least dress up as something cooler?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Their mother raised a brow at her son’s comment.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Like…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Donald paused, not prepared to be put on the spot. Thinking on his toes he thought of the small comic book shop that sat next to the music store downtown where he was taking his lessons and smiled.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I don’t know, like a superhero or something.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>He could see the wheels in his sisters head begin to turn and he knew that the girl had some ideas of her own. It was when Della soon began to jump up and down that this was confirmed.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh or a zombie, can Don and I dress up as zombies next year mom.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>A Zombie, he thought rolling his eyes. Not what he’d want to dress as ideally but it was still much less embarrassing than a shaker of pepper.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Oh, my wee bairns and your wild imaginations.” Hortense spoke with a smile as she searched for a camera, “but I promise, next Halloween I’ll let you choose your own costumes even if they don’t match.”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The sound of another knock soon filled the air and the next thing he knew Fenton had arrived and it was clear from the scientists body language that he was having a mild case of imposter syndrome as well and they hadn’t even arrived at the museum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you look even half as beautiful in your wedding gown than you do right now then Doctor Gearloose is a lucky man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the lucky one,” Della replied as she reached over to straighten Fenton’s tie, “to be in love with my best friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald noticed a confused expression begin to cross the face of the scientist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought I was in love with your best friend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At Fenton’s comment Donald couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the moon goddesses and the scientist seeing one another and what Zeus must think about it. He made mental note that when Storkules inevitably called to hear all the details about the night ahead of them that he’d ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One can have more than one best friend, Selene is like a sister to me and Gyro makes me be my best self...well most of the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald couldn’t help but think about how his once and future brother in law and think that the opposite could also be true. There was definitely a change in him these past few months and for the better.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>After a few obligatory photos taken the trio had soon made their way toward the museum. Donald insisted they take Fenton’s car as it would look less embarrassing to the valets and the scientist agreed as it would be easier to stash the Gizmosuit in the trunk versus the gala’s coat room in the case of an emergency.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they soon entered the building, Donald couldn’t help but look around for Daisy when suddenly he felt a slight nudge in his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daisy did a fantastic job with this place,” Della spoke in a whisper as Donald nodded, “I bet this would make a great wedding venue...I should talk to Gyro and Aunt Goldie about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should sis,” Donald nodded his eyes still wandering through the sea of black and white. So many tuxes, so many ball gowns, so many masks obscuring the eyes of the party goers making it even harder and harder to…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His train of thought soon came to a standstill as he gazed across the room spotting her, looking like an angel in white.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go,” his sister whispered to him, practically pushing him into Daisy’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The flowers are wrong,” Donald heard Emma Glamor speak from her perch on the makeshift stage set up in the front of the room. Dressed in black, the fashionista ruled over the room as if she were a queen loading over her subjects...and she was in a sense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know Miss Glamor, and I’m sorry...but the florist brought in pink flowers at first and when I explained that this was a black and white ball and pink wasn’t in the color scheme he brought over whatever white flowers they had available.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well than take note Daisy...DO NOT HIRE those florists for the next event.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes Miss Glamor,” Daisy said and in the moment her eyes began to lock onto Donald’s causing a flush to cross the Duck’s cheeks as he began to approach where his date was standing with her boss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, Daisy you look…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Emma asked as Daisy began to open her mouth however it was Donald who managed to muster up the courage to speak first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Glamor, my name is Donald Duck, and I’m here to ask my girlfriend if I can have this dance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald watched as Emma’s eyes shifted between him and her assistant and back again as if to silently judge however instead of shooting out a witty barb she instead just waved her hand as if to say go on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donald simply smiled as he took Daisy’s hand and led her toward the dance floor where dancing was already getting underway. He didn’t know how limited his time would be with his date before her boss stole her away for business however he knew that they would make the best of it.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Chapter 49</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As the ball continues Della gets some interesting blasts from her past.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sometimes I really hate how I’ve formatted this with each chapter being centric on a different character and having a flashback because I feel some chapters would definitely be longer {and there would of totally been some Donald/Daisy ballroom fluff peppered into this chapter instead of it just being all about Della} Anyway  some trivia on the writing process: in my early plotting stage the ball was going to be hosted by St.Canard mayor Owlson and Della was going to bring Drake as her date but I really like how this evolved. Much love to SusieSunflower23 whom I was bouncing ideas off of for the Fenton/Della exchange in this chapter. Also I was at a crossroads as to whether I wanted to keep referring to Steelbeak as Hugo as things progressed but decided to stick with his more colorful well known moniker. </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>April 2002:</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Miss Duck, it’s a pleasure to have you here,” an older bird spoke in a haughty tone.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“The pleasure is all mine,” she simply replied with a smile trying to make it not sound forced.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“And who is the fellow you have with you?” Another bird asked, raising a brow curiously toward Gyro.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“This is Gyro Gearloose, top robotics engineer and head of R&amp;D at McDuck Enterprises.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“But he’s so…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Young? Yes, but he is one of the most brilliant people I know.” </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She could see Gyro’s face begin to flush.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You make a handsome couple,” another benefactor spoke with a smile now causing Della to begin to flush as well. She had honestly never thought of Gyro as a potential suitor though in her defense she never really thought of suitors much at all. Besides, in the morning she had planned to leave and meet up with the Flying McQuacks and who knew where it would go from there. She’d be nineteen in a few months and had the whole world in front of her.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Chatter was still going on around her about her Uncle and her future and other things when suddenly a hand was held out in front of her taking her by surprise.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“May I have this dance? Gyro asked with a nervous look crossing the chickens face.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Grateful for the save, Della nodded as he led her toward the dance floor …</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>As she watched the couples dancing around the exhibition room she couldn’t help but to think of that night, a night where unknown at the time would be a turning point in her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t believe that was seventeen and a half years ago though she supposed she was still adjusting to the passage of time after over a decade being on the moon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sucking in a deep breath her eyes soon moved to where her brother was leading Daisy out to the dance floor. She had only known Daisy for two months but she couldn’t wait for a day when she’d inevitably be calling the woman her sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon, much like that night all those years ago a hand was held in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I have this dance?” Fenton asked, causing a smile to cross her bill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you may.” She spoke with a flourish as she lowered herself into a curtsy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Fenton raised a brow a bit before leaning into a bow and taking her hand just as the music started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the dance began and they started to move along to the orchestra's melody, Della knew of all the people she could have taken to this event; she was glad that she chose Fenton. With her cousin Gladstone she would have watched as he flirted with anyone and everyone and Launchpad, while wearing his heart on his sleeve as if it were the hottest accessory ,the man had no coordination whatsoever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks again for being my white knight,” she replied as Fenton gave her a slight dip as the melody played on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need to thank me, I would've gladly been your date tonight even if your fiancé didn’t demand it of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della chuckled a bit wishing she were in the lab that afternoon when Gyro barged in demanding that his assistant escorted her to the gala. Selene's recounting of the event didn't do it justice she supposed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess, you’ve always wanted to see what the big deal one of these gala’s was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you’ve found me out,” Fenton replied, “I’ve always had a curiosity of how the other half lived.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continued to move in step to the waltz that was playing as she rolled her eyes at his comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously though, we’re friends and like it or not you're stuck with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the song ended, Fenton took her hand and gently raised it toward his bill giving it a friendly kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning her head, Della spotted her brother and Daisy having their own moment across the room causing her to wonder just how offended Don would be if Fenton was to be appointed best man. That conversation however was one for another day as she shifted her gaze back toward the kind pair of brown eyes that was standing in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Care for another turn around the room?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Fenton responded with a wordless bow as they began to glide across the room some more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how did you learn to dance like this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Big family, lots of weddings and quinceaneras. What about you? Do the Junior Woodchucks have a badge for ballroom dancing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that inquiry Della couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. Honestly though, if she did the research she wouldn't be surprised if yes in fact they did however that wasn’t the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I was thirteen I took cotillion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Fenton flashed her a long lingering gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just trying to picture you as a debutante.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded thinking she got that a lot as while she loved to dress up for date nights and special occasions she was by no means a quintessential girly girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about as a debutante with Mark Beaks as my partner."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The look that crossed Fenton's face in that moment was simply priceless though she was glad that there was no further questioning as the </span>
  <span>dance came to an end and the orchestra took a brake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want some champagne?” Della asked feeling a bit parched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Waiting for Fenton to respond with a yes or no she was instead met with a face plagued with distraught.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told ma’ma tonight was my night off and to only page me if it were a true emergency.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della watched as Fenton read the text alert that had popped up on his smart watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Apparently while the cops have been preoccupied with eggs and toilet paper and smashed pumpkins the Beagle Boys have seen an open invitation to rob a convenience store.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then go get dangerous,” Della spoke in a teasing tone causing Fenton to roll his eyes before reaching out toward his wallet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, no… anyway here is some money toward a rideshare for you and Donald. It would be against the superhero code of conduct if I left the two of you stranded.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plus Gyro would demote you back to being an intern if he knew you made me walk home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In truth she didn’t know what her fiancé would do but it sounded like something that he would have considered in that circumstance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be safe,” Della spoke as Fenton replied...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have fun, don't spend the night as a wallflower on my account."</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It had been a moment since Fenton had left to attend to Gizmoduck business as Della began to observe that Daisy was off chatting with Glamour about something while Donald stood idly on the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps she’d see if her brother wanted to partake in a dance with her. However before she was able to make her way towards him a voice rang out from behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A dame like you shouldn’t be left stranded by her lonesome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning on her heel, Della came face to face with a rooster dressed impeccably in a white tux with his eyes covered in a simple black mask. What drew her in however was that his beak was a prosthetic one which was quite impressive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what do you propose to do about it?” Della teased placing a hand on her hip. Fenton told her to have fun and to not be a wallflower and she planned to do just that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well dollface, I was wondering if you’d like to dance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della nodded as she gave the rooster an obligatory curtsy as the music began. There was just something so familiar about him that she was trying to recall.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Dollface, seriously, this isn’t some film noir in my uncle’s collection </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>She could hear her own voice echoing in her brain as suddenly something clicked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hugo right? You used to box in St.Canard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Rooster nodded his head as he let out a long sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fifteen years ago my future looked bright...I was the star contender on the St. Canard boxing scene. All the fame and glory wasn’t enough however and I wanted a challenge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what lead to…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Della motioned to his beak he nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got myself involved in an underground cage fighting operation. At first it was just a means to blow off steam but soon I was in way over my head and next thing I know I’m waking up in the hospital. Two years of rehabilitation therapy and another three in the St. Canard prison system later and Hugo Rhodes is dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But how can you be dead if you're dancing with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m not a boxer anymore for one, now I tend bar though lately I’ve landed a sweet sweet private security gig that got me into this here shindig. Second, I go by a more colorful moniker these days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“STEELBEAK!” Mark Beaks’s voice filled the air. Della knew that she and her ex would inevitably cross paths again since this event was hosted by his mother but she wasn’t prepared for what to do or what to say especially after hearing some of the things Gyro and Fenton had to say about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dance ended as the trio stepped aside to continue to converse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not paying you to flirt, especially with someone who is painfully spoken for. Bella you look lovely by the way, once again the most sparkling gem in the room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marcus Beaks, ever the charmer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, you know her?” Steelbeak asked a confused look crossing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bella and I used to date back when we were teenagers. Anyway, from the look of things it seems like you and Miss Duck had a past as well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I bought her a drink...or two...or three…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but flush a bit as the memories of her 21st began to fully come back to the surface again as she wondered if anything would have transpired with her and the boxer if Gladstone hadn’t intervened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want or need to know what happened next,” Mark spoke with a shake of his head before turning toward Della crossing his arm over his chest. “So, where is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Screwloose </span>
  </em>
  <span>this evening anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh at the tone and nickname used to talk about Gyro, she began to feel a tinge if the famed Duck Family Rage began to well up inside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My fiancé Doctor Gyro Gearloose is presently engaged in chaperoning our son's Quiz Bowl tournament in Cape Suzette.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait? You have a son?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Technically I have three but it’s complicated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steelbeak nodded his head while the expression on his face clearly suggested that he was trying to envision her with any child let alone three. It seemed as though he was about to open his mouth to speak however Mark opened his first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Break Time is over Steelbeak,” Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rooster nodded as he turned to place a gentle peck on Della's cheek causing her to shiver slightly at the coolness of his prosthetic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully it won’t take another fifteen years for us to cross paths," Steelbeek spoke before heading off to deal with whatever security detail he was supposed to be doing.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>A few silent moments passed as Della noticed the african grey still standing by her side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you have something else you wished to say to me?” she asked with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A lot of things actually,” Mark replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how many of them involve telling me that I can do better than Gyro?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Mark placed his hand over his heart before allowing a pained expression to cross his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ouch,” he said, “It hurts that you think so lowly of me. Anyway something big is going on, it’s the reason why I have hired muscle and the reason why Falcon Graves is now the CEO of your family's company.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From what she had come to learn after her first encounter with him last spring, Mark Beaks only fell behind her Uncle and Glomgold when it came to net worth which was quite impressive seeing as how he was only in his late 30s. Sure, he had a bit of a reputation for taking the credit for his app developers designs or so she heard but if he had some insider information on Bradford Buzzard’s coup d'etat and what could be done to get McDuck Enterprises back into the hands of a McDuck well…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think that we could save the business talk for another day, say Monday afternoon over coffee?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a date.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Business Meeting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same difference,” Mark said as he shrugged his shoulders back before leaning forward in a flourish bowing before Della while holding out her hand. “Anyway, before we part this evening can we please just have one dance Bella? For old times sake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della couldn’t help but let a chuckle escape her as she nodded her head before once more heading onto the dance floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the most natural thing, gliding along the floor with her former partner and for a moment she was that awkward thirteen year old girl once more. </span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It hadn’t been just one dance for old times sake with Mark but instead it had turned into three, their conversations were mostly about reminiscing on days gone by though there was some minor talk peppered in between idle chatter about Switzerland or the Moon. As the third song ended, Della soon noticed how much the room had cleared out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should go and find Don.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or, he can come find you and you can properly introduce us to one another twenty three years later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Della simply shook her head as she turned on her heel but not before uttering a single word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Monday.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I think I'm going to add chapter summaries from here on out so you know what characters/plots are featured <br/>Also again thanks for all the reviews and kudos</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Chapter 50</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meanwhile in St. Canard while Donald is at the Gala.... Lena and Dewey spend a night in with Gosalyn</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Even with an outline writer's block can still be an ugly thing...my outline pretty much said meanwhile in St. Canard, Lena and Dewey hang out with Gosalyn and while I am in love with the idea of the dynamics of these three characters I found myself writing and re-writing this chapter a countless amount of times. I hope that this little filler piece is decent. As far as the movie titles in this piece go I used a horror movie title generator also the name of Drake’s soap is a nod to one of my original pieces collecting dust in a notebook on my bookshelf and the name of Drake’s character came from a character name generator where I just duck-ified the last name </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been four months since the ramrod had zapped her grandfather into the recesses of space and time however to Gosalyn it kind of felt like longer. When Drake Mallard had suggested she stay with him as an alternative to being a victim of the system at first she rolled her eyes. Now however she couldn’t think of a better situation...well aside from her abuelo walking through the door of Drake’s apartment where she was hanging with Lena and Dewey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know this was a dress up thing,” Lena spoke as she looked between Gosalyn who was dressed in her hockey uniform and Dewey who had thrifted an outfit straight out of the 1980s. “It’s not,” Gosalyn said with a shake of her head, “I just had a practice scheduled before you two arrived.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t think to shower and change?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lena pinched her nose in disgust, the red headed duck couldn’t help but shrug her shoulders and laugh it off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was canceled but I figured I was already in my uniform and it’s Halloween so why not stay dressed up, though I don’t know what Shakespear’s excuse is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glaring toward Dewey the sole boy in the room simply shrugged his shoulders before flashing her his trademark smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Can’t I just be trying out new looks Red?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn paused at Dewey’s question before shaking her head and flashing him her own taunting smile back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No offence, but neon and bold print just doesn’t DEW it for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching as her friend smiled at the way she had used his signature name puns the third person in the room simply rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God there's two of them,” Lena muttered under her breath however. Gosalyn couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. The truth was that she and Dewey had a history with one another and she simply just knew how to push her best friends buttons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So Goss,” Dewey spoke as he leant back against the arm of the couch he’d been sitting on, crossing his arms over his chest. “I bet being the actor that he is,  Drake has an extensive film collection.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn shrugged back her shoulders. Honestly she had no clue, after all, Drake spent  most nights at Darkwing Tower, scouring the city for wrongs that needed to be righted and so there really was never a time for a family movie night. Perhaps she could suggest having one in the near future she thought as she listened to Dewey let out a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I bet he even has the kind of horror movies that neither of my dads would allow me to watch but my mom totally would approve of behind their back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Gosalyn had briefly met Della during the ramrod incident and had conversed with Doctor Gearloose a few times in person she hadn’t really known Dewey’s bio parents that well… Donald however was another story. She had known that Dewey’s dad was a bit of a worrywart and still thought of his son as a little boy despite practically being a teenager.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tossing a pillow toward Dewey with a slight amount of force she couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You always did like to get a little dangerous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no regrets in using Darkwings famed catchphrase as she watched as Dewey hopped off of his spot before heading across the room to where Drake’s modest home entertainment center stood. It wasn’t nearly as impressive a piece of technology as W.A.N.D.A. or some of the other gadgets in his secret layer but it was still a much bigger and higher definition screen than she was used to back at her grandfathers. Honestly you hadn’t lived until you watched Ottoman Empire in HD surround sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Dewey’s voice once more spoke, breaking her from her thoughts, “What will it be? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wives at the Catacombs, Mystery In The Depths,</span>
  </em>
  <span> oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>MAD IN THE CRYPTS!!!!!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Dewey excitedly began pulling DVDs off of Drake’s shelves, Gosalyn could tell that her other houseguest had seemed to be looking rather uncomfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everything okay Lena?” she asked with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence as Lena simply nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything is…” Lena began before pausing and taking a breath. “It’s just my life so far has been my own personal horror movie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn simply nodded. She had heard the reader's digest of it all. Lena was born of Magica DeSpell’s shadow with the purpose of destroying Scrooge McDuck. Instead she found herself befriending Scrooge’s children and sacrificing herself for the greater good during the Shadow War. The power of love, friendship and a spirit board however seemed to have brought her into the real world once more on a more permanent basis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was the shadow realm like anyway?” Gosalyn asked with a raised brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do not have to answer that.” Dewey spoke as he continued to sort through DVDs the tone of his voice really giving off that concerned brother vibe which kind of suited him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Lena agreed with a nod as she climbed off the chair she was seated on to move closer to where Gosalyn sat. “Just think of the darkest, coldest, loneliest place you can imagine and then multiply it by at least five.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn could just feel a chill running down her spine. She had felt so lost and alone just with losing her grandfather, she couldn’t imagine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the next moment the redhead couldn’t help but find herself tossing her arms around the other girl in a tight comforting embrace. It definitely took Lena by surprise just by her facial expression however soon a simple mutter of </span>
  <em>
    <span>thanks </span>
  </em>
  <span>fell from the pink haired girls bill as she gave a slight squeeze back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know he has more than horror movies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The way Dewey spoke as his gaze shifted from the shelve of DVDs to a box of VHS tapes a mischievous glint in his eye as he spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say, Goss, do you think he has any footage of that soap opera he was in now THAT would be scary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Embarrassing maybe, but scary she didn’t think so as while to her knowledge there wasn’t any physical media of the show lying around the house there were other ways of finding things in 2019.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>
    <em>A few weeks ago…</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Previously on ‘The Wise and the Wicked’....</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Where did you find that!” Drake’s voice rang out. His tone was less angry and more of a curious nature as he looked over toward the teen.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You can find anything on the internet, surely as a millennial you know this.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched as her guardian rolled his eyes.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I just didn’t think some soap opera running for over five decades would have an Internet following.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You’d be surprised,” Gosalyn said thinking of all she had discovered in researching this piece of Drake’s filmography including pages and pages of fanfiction based on his character.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It was then that Drake took a seat beside her, letting his eyes turn toward the screen.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>where his character Jace was in a heated argument with potential love interest Eliza which was about to lead to a kiss in 3-2-1….</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“What do you think would've happened if the writers went with JaLiza?”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Watching as he mouthed the ship name with a roll of his eyes and a shrug of his shoulders he answered.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“I probably wouldn’t have heard of the casting call for Darkwing… never got the job or met Launchpad…”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>At the mention of Scrooge McDuck’s chofer who occasionally moonlighted as Superhero Sidekick the girl couldn’t help but notice her guardian flush a bit. It was clear that in the last few months whatever friendship they held had been steadily blossoming into more though both parties were too stubborn to admit it.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“...or you.” </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>There was a moment of silence as Gosalyn imagined he was thinking of a world where an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor was sitting above the mantle of a far nicer apartment when he spoke up again.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Happy Birthday by the way.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Gosalyn had never told him that today was her her birthday though she supposed he had seen it written on all the paperwork he had needed to fill out in being her legal guardian.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“It’s just another day.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Shrugging her shoulders back she watched as Drake hit pause on her video before crossing the room and coming back with a box that was tucked away.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Well then I guess you don’t want….”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Give me that.” Gosalyn replied, reaching out and taking the box.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Ripping off the paper excitedly she had no clue what was in the box as while in the past few months she and Drake talked she honestly didn’t know how strongly he listened to her words until her eyes fell on a bow and a quiver of arrows as well as a pair of archery gloves.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Keen Gear!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She wondered how he had known she’d been interested in archery and she questioned in her mind if she should ask when instead instinctively she stood up and moved across the room where her guardian had now been standing throwing her arms around him. “Thank you, that was the most perfect gift anyone could've given me.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Really? Because I can think of something else.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>She watched as Drake’s hand started to move toward the pocket of the button down he’d been wearing wondering what he could possibly have to top her archery equipment when suddenly the door flew open and Launchpad entered enthusiastically.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Who wants cake!”</em>
  </b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>What Drake had in his pocket that night she would later come to discover we’re adoption papers however she hadn’t been able to give him a yes just yet. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be his daughter it was well...would she be cheating on her grandfather after all Fenton and Doctor Gearloose were looking into finding a means to tap into the multiverse to try to track him down and what if? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately he doesn’t have a physical copy of The Wise and the Wicked to my knowledge but I know where to find it on the internet if you're really interested. I mean Jase Robirds and Darkwing Duck are two strikingly different characters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jase Robirds?” Lena questioned with a slight chuckle as Dewey hopped up off the floor and returned to sit beside his friend as Gosalyn nodded confirming Drake’s character name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s almost as cheesy as the names of the characters in Launchpad’s Darkwing Duck fanfiction novella,” Dewey spoke with a roll of his eyes, “Speaking of, I wonder if he’s caught a glimpse of his boyfriends humbler beginnings yet?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They aren’t…” Gosalyn began but honestly she didn’t want to correct Dewey. She wondered if it was a selfish thought to think of a world where she did formally say yes to Drake, let him be her father, to have Launchpad permanently relocate to St. Canard so the three of them could be a family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a slight sigh as her mind began to race with thoughts for a moment she soon got herself to focus back on the conversation at hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think Launchpad’s seen it but he told me not to disturb him unless it was a serious emergency as he doesn’t trust October 31st.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t trust Halloween, as he’s superstitious?” Lena asked with a shake of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I mean it tracks. Remember that one time he thought we were all mole people after seeing that one movie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena nodded while Gosalyn wondered if one day she could ask about the incident in explicit detail for potential blackmail fodder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That seems like another lifetime ago. I was just getting to know Webby and Louie and the rest of your complicated family and now I’m a part of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena flashed Dewey a smile as the boy placed a hand on her shoulder. They really did have a natural sibling dynamic didn’t they.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can go just peak my head in the other room?” Dewey suggested, “I mean Launchpad has said time and time again that I’m his best friend so I’m sure if I told him that we were about to look up some of Drake’s old soap online it would pique his curiosity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn pondered Dewey’s words for a moment. Even though Launchpad was getting closer and closer to her by way of Drake, of the three of them he had 100% been closest to the young boy. She was all set to tell her friend to go for it however soon Lena spoke up once more, a slight flush crossing her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or,” Lena said, “...I kind of never actually watched Darkwing Duck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even with the close relationship that the trio had with the current Darkwing it surprisingly wasn’t super shocking that Lena hadn’t seen the original series that had inspired the actor to become the vigilante he was today. The show was nearly 30 years old and to Gosalyn’s knowledge was not presently available on any streaming platform. Then there was the fact that up until seven months ago the pink haired Duck was tethered to Magica DeSpell and she doubted the sorceress was a huge fan of campy early nineties action shows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well than, Dewey grab the popcorn and Lena, PREPARE TO GET DANGEROUS”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few hours later…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god….oh my god…” Lena spoke at the action on screen as Gosalyn tried to guess if she was drawn into the action or remarking on the outdated albeit practical effects. Honestly it was probably C) all of the above. “So, what was it like fighting the fearsome four in real life?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t know, mom insisted I say back at Darkwing Tower.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a complete and total rush!!! Super Villains are just on a whole other level than run of the mill petty thieves, not that Drake lets me go out on patrols much since the school year started.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t go on adventures as much with Uncle Scrooge during the school year either, but trust me it just makes the adrenaline rush when you do go out that much stronger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosalyn nodded her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m counting on it, you know if I do go out on a more regular basis I’ve even come up with my own alter ego.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess,” Lena said, “Scarlet Archer? Crimson Chick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quivering Quack!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quivering Quack,” Dewey repeated, the sound of the name coming from him gave her a prickle of goosebumps, “I think it suits you. You know, my dad’s girlfriend Daisy is into fashion, maybe when the time comes I could hook her up into designing your look.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the sound of Dewey’s words, she couldn’t help but toss her arms around the boy in a fit of glee. Just the thought of having an actual real life superhero costume...it made her almost want to pull her friend into a kiss. Wait….what...why was she thinking this. This was Dewey, she couldn’t possibly be forming a crush on her best friend, especially a best friend who lived on the other side of the Audubon Bay. Even though it was just over an hour away long distance relationships rarely worked for adults which was why she suspected Drake and Launchpad haven’t officially put a label on what they did or didn’t have but for a first relationship it would be doomed from the start. No, she wasn’t going to act on any impulses in the moment for fear of risking her friendship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Gosalyn simply said as she pulled away from Dewey to place the next episode into the video player, “You’re really going to love the next episode Lena.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>